


The Chronicles of I-5YQ

by Ewok_Slayer (Talon88)



Series: Pavan and Crew [2]
Category: Star Wars Legends - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-12
Updated: 2015-07-12
Packaged: 2019-10-24 07:24:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 68,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17700119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talon88/pseuds/Ewok_Slayer
Summary: This journal starts off where the fanfic The Journal of Jax Pavan left off. I simply changed the character POV.I was asked by a couple of my readers if I would write my journal in the POV of Jax's droid friend, I-Five. I-5YQ is a sentient droid from the Coruscant Nights Trilogy (Legends Novels).  I-Five is a unique character.  He has human feelings, but a droid body.  This story is about that droid's struggles with his conflicting emotions and how he finds love.  This reminds me a little of L3-37 in the new "Solo: A Star Wars Story" movie.  That droid went a long time without memory wipes and started to become sentient.  Of course, my fanfic came out years before that droid/human romance was seen on the big screen.





	1. Chapter 1

_File location: Auxiliary memory and Removable Storage_  
_Encoded: Cryptic_

**_Entry 1_ **

I am I-5YQ. I began my existence as an ordinary 5YQ-series protocol droid. Days after I was manufactured I was purchase by a wealthy couple that sadly reproduced and spawned the most disagreeable offspring I ever had the misfortune of encountering. For entertainment these foul creatures would order me to jump off buildings or perform other destructive activities until I was shattered and malfunctioning. I was then unceremoniously shipped off to a junk dealer who intended to dismantle and sell me for parts.

Fortunately, a human information broker named Lorn Pavan purchased me. Pavan was not a rich man and could not afford an authorized I-5YQ technician to perform my repairs. Instead, he refurbished my damaged systems himself. Either by design or by accident, my creative dampeners were disabled during Pavan's modifications and repairs. The alteration of my computer brain resulted in my ability to learn and think. Without computer processor restrictions I gradually became self-aware and developed free will. Simply stated, I am now sentient. Lorn Pavan was the first organic being to treat me as something other than a droid. He called me a friend and considered me his equal.

My friend had a unpleasant relationship with the Jedi Order, having once worked at the Jedi Temple. When the Jedi discovered his son Jax was Force sensitive the youngling was invited to train as a Jedi. Pavan allowed his son to go to the temple thinking he could see him daily, but as soon as Jax became a padawan the Temple fired the elder Pavan so the child would not develop an attachment to his father. Lorn felt betrayed. The loss of his son created marital discord with his wife and his spouse soon divorced him.

He failed to get his son back from the Jedi, but he continued to attempt contact with the boy. During a particularly perilous situation he gave me a mission in the event of his death—to one day locate and protect his son.

It wasn't until after Emperor Palpatine ordered the destruction of the Jedi Order that I finally encountered Jax Pavan. The young man was not particularly pleased to make my acquaintance. The existence of a sentient droid he found somewhat disconcerting. Fortunately, the younger Pavan had an innate ability to befriend people…including droids.

For the last year I have worked with Jax Pavan in an effort to overthrow Palpatine's empire. Jax's band of freedom fighters also include: Den Dhur, a Sullustan reporter turned insurgent; Sacha Swiftbird a former Antarian Ranger; Magash Drashi, a Dathomiri witch; Norro, a thirteen-year-old boy rescued from the prison planet Despayre.

Our small group fought to overthrow the new Imperial regime until recently. A few weeks ago Sacha and Jax became romantically involved and mated. This resulted in a pregnancy. After a run in with Darth Vader Jax has decided the only way to ensure the safety of his friends and family is to avoid contact with the new empire. We are currently searching for a world where we can live in peace.

I have never witnessed the fabrication of a new human. For this reason, I intend to record events during the gestation period, the newborn's release from uterine confinement and the growth of the nascent human.

As a droid I record everything I see and hear, but there is always the chance of file deletions. Therefore I am compiling my thoughts and observations in journal format and saving the information on my internal hard drive and an additional copy on a removable memory card.

.

.

**_Entry 2_ **

Our group is currently onboard a Helix-Class light interceptor named  _Laranth_  for destinations unknown. Jax named the ship after Laranth Tarak, a Twi'lek rebel who died to save me, Den and Jax. She was Jax's first love and he deeply mourned her death for a year.

I also was affected by Laranth's death. I am unsure if what I felt could be classified as sadness, but I found myself replaying the circumstances leading to her death over and over through my databanks. It was an illogical information loop, but it did occur frequently for weeks.

Den told me he also experienced the same reoccurring thoughts and wished he could go back into time and change things. I informed him that while time dilation has been known to occur it usually allows movement only from the present to the far future and not into the past. At that point Den informed me his words should not be taken literally.

I am pleased that Jax is no longer depressed. He has fallen in love and has started the process of procreation. This morning I entered the ship's flight deck only to find Sacha and Jax in a close embrace and osculating. I quickly slipped out of the cockpit before they noticed me. I have determined they prefer privacy when performing their pre-copulation mating rituals.

Presently, I am occupying my Human Replica Droid body. I have various models to include an Artoo chassis and a 501-Z police droid model. My original protocol droid chassis was damaged in combat and patched together with cannibalized parts from other droids. If an inebriated monkey-lizard decided to build a deformed droid—it would probably look like my protocol chassis. At this time, I only have my droid brain transferred into that chassis if there is a good chance of a mission ending in my decapitation...which happens more often than I would care to admit.

I prefer my HRD body, especially when interacting with sentients. When in an Artoo form my friends often forget I am in the room. I become another machine akin to a food synthesizer or a hyperdrive.

I also favor the HRD frame because it is the most advanced chassis I have ever occupied. HRD droids were designed to function as decoys or spies. Their synthskin and biofiber outer shell is indistinguishable from humans.

I have downloaded the human behavioral programs from the original droid's brain, but, because of the complexity of the model, there are smaller droid brains located throughout the body that control behaviors that simulate human functions. It appears these brains' programs are triggered automatically. For example, my eyes will unnecessarily blink when exposed to bright light. When I sense cold temperatures my body simulates a pilomotor reflex causing small bumps to spread across my arms and legs. I am designed to react as a human.

I find human osculation extremely interesting and baffling at the same time. I do not understand why the pressing of the lips causes Jax and Sacha so much pleasure. I have researched the history behind the gesture and some scientists believe it was a form of pre-mastication in primitive man. Mothers would chew food and then deposit the bolus to the infant child's mouth. Humans no longer need to regurgitate food to feed their young, so I was curious as to why the behavior persisted.

I went to the dining area of the ship and found Magash sitting at a table and sipping a drink. I sat down across from her and gave her my most serious expression. "I would like to experience the sensation of kissing. Can you assist me?"

Magash, a Zabrak/human hybrid, started choking on her drink. When she recovered she gave me what I interpreted as a look of incredulity. "You want to kiss me?"

"Yes. It is purely for research. I would like to record this body's reaction to that particular form of intimate contact."

She laughed and shook her head which I interpreted as as a negative response.

"I understand. I will ask Den for his assistance."

She laughed at that suggestion. "Den is not only a Sullustan but a male."

"Does that matter?"

Magash smirked. "Your programing might be species and gender specific."

That was a logical possibility. "Perhaps I should ask Sacha."

She once again found humor in my suggestion. "Not unless you want to get Jax upset. Those two have bonded and bonded couples are possessive of each other."

"I understand." I rose out of my seat and began to walk away but Magash stood and grasped me by my arm. When I turned around she moved her hands to the back of my cranium and pulled me towards her until our lips were firmly pressed together. I was stunned at the programming responses activated by the various smaller brains controlling what would be involuntary responses in humans. I felt the pilomotor reflex activating. My eyebrows rose reflexively. My eyes dilated and I felt a shift of various hydraulic fluids. When Magash gently sucked on my lower lip I became concerned. I didn't want her damaging my HRD body. Fortunately Den walked into the room which caused Magash to pull away.

"Whoa!" Den gasped as his head turned back-and-forth between me and Magash in an almost comical gesticulation. "What is going on?"

Magash turned away and I noticed her skin temperature rose slightly. It was a human reaction I recognized as embarrassment. "I asked Magash if she would allow me to kiss her so I could record any reflex responses of this HRD body."

Den's eyes examined me closely before biting down on his bottom lip. He shook his head a few times before running a hand over his face. "I would say your droid body had a response." He grabbed me by the arm and pulled me into our cabin. He looked down at my trousers. "I-Five, remember when you said those fleshy protrusions below your belt line were ornamental in nature…well, I think you were incorrect in that assessment."

I looked down to where he was gesturing and realized this body was more fully functional than I realized. I gazed at Den in disbelief. "Why would a droid be programed for this type of response?"

My friend laughed before dropping down on his bunk. "Because humans are a bit strange. I am fairly sure when the first human-like droid was created the first question was,  _'Can we kriff it?_ '"

"I am extremely surprised at the results of my experiment. Smaller auxiliary brains throughout my body control these autonomic reactions. This was not a conscious response."

Den laid back on his bunk and started laughing in a near hysterical manner. When he caught his breath he grinned at me. "Are you saying your little brain was thinking for the big brain?"

I considered his words for a moment. "I believe my earlier comments could be interpreted as such."

Den picked up a pillow and put it over his head in an attempt to muffle his laughter.

"I fail to see the humor." I sat down next to Den. "How long will this reaction last?"

He sat up and shrugged. "I think when the stimuli is taken away you should return to normal." His gaze raked over me. "You look fine now."

My droid brain attempted to process the sensations surging through my circuits. I could analyze what happened in a detached manner as a droid, but as a sentient I was experiencing confusion…because I felt something new. It was a reaction unfamiliar to me, but not unpleasant. I need to research this matter in more detail.

This is a very interesting development.

.

.

**_Entry 3_ **

Today Jax called a meeting of all crewmembers to discuss which planet would be most suitable for permanent residence.

We departed from Dathomir a few days ago, having stayed with Magash's sister witches of the Singing Mountain Clan. I cannot say I miss the planet or the witches. The inhabitants are technologically backwards and were somewhat fearful of me because they could sense a faint Force-echo radiating from within my droid body.

Jax noticed this peculiar phenomenon over a year ago and is still unable to explain it. To Jax's knowledge only living things give off Force energies. I have done some research on the matter and discovered this is not entirely true. There are crystals that manifest the Force. These crystals (the locals call them Spook Crystals) come from the planet Nam Chorios and are considered mineral life forms. Unfortunately, the existence non-organic Force sensitive life forms does not explain my condition.

Magash once asked if a Nightsister used spirit ichor to infuse me with life energies. She was so concerned that I was some form of magic Totem that she used her Dathomir Witch magic to scan me through the Force. It was a strange sensation. I could feel her presence rush through my chassis and over my circuits. I felt violated at the time. I doubt I would find the experience as invasive now that we are friends.

After she scanned me she declared,  _'Whatever is in him is not from darkness.'_ That is comforting.

The other members of the Singing Mountain Clan were not as confident as Magash. They were uneasy in my presence and would stare at me suspiciously while sharing distrustful whispers.

After leaving Dathomir we headed toward the closest hyperspace lane. Now that we have arrived, we will decide what planets to reconnoiter.

We crowded around the galley table where Jax was seated at a center seat, datapad in hand. "We've arrived to the Hydian Way hyperspace lane. From here we can go just about anywhere we want." He pushed a few buttons on the datapad and brought up a star chart. "We definitely want to avoid the core, but we might be safe as close as the mid-core. We absolutely want to stay away from planets with Imperial garrisons."

Norro raised a hand. "That leaves out Despayre, I guess."

Jax chuckled. "I guarantee nobody here wants to go back to that nightmare planet." He gazed at the chart. "A planet like Null or Taris might be far enough away from the Empire to avoid Imperial entanglements. Or we could go much further out such as Dagobah or some other rimworld planet."

The remainder of the conversation was what most humans would consider tedious, therefore I will simply post the results from our discussion:

**Ylesia** and  **Teth** —located in Hutt Space, therefore too dangerous.

**Null** —the planet is still recovering from the Clone Wars. It was a battlefield between the Separatists and Republic.

**Taris** —member of the Council of Neutral Systems, but is besieged by government and military corruption.

**Endor** —terrestrial world with breathable air, but full of disagreeable fauna and flora, to include man-eating Ewoks, Duloks, Gorphs, Bordoks, Gorax, Frost Spirits, Forest Giants, Ice Demons, Grass Trekkers, Venom rats, Teeks, Shrieks, Ogres, Dandelion Warriors, and giant cave dwelling arachnids.

Also, according to legend, on the Forest moon there is a mountain (called Mount Sorrow) that is reportedly sentient with the ability to cry healing tears. I find this legend implausible, but the possible existence of another non-organic sentient is interesting. We decided Endor had too many dangerous or annoying indigenous creatures to make it a viable option for settlement.

**Bakura** —this planet might become an Imperial target due to its repulsarlift industry.

**Hoth** —according to Sacha, "That planet is too damn cold!" Jax was concerned that certain parts of his anatomy might freeze off. Sacha also expressed apprehension stating she wanted Jax in one piece.

**Tatooine** —This option was a resounding  _'No!'_  I didn't like the anti-droid prejudice and the females of our group said the sun and heat was bad for their complexion.

**Dagobah** —we researched Republic surveys of the planet and decided we didn't wish to live in a swamp.

**Rishi** —terrestrial climate, breathable air and far from the galactic core. Human colonists already exist there along with the native Rishi which is a wing sentient species that live in the mountains. This is a possibility.

**Myrkr** —terrestrial world, breathable air. Feasible option.

**Phindar** \- Tropical, breathable air. Feasible.

**Yavin IV** \- Terrestrial with breathable air. Feasible.

The last four planets were put on our list of places to visit.

After discussing the situation at length we decided to travel to the closest planet—Phindar.

After the meeting broke up Sacha and Jax went to the flight deck and Den and Norro retired to our cabin, leaving Magash and me in the galley alone. I glanced over and gave her my most contrite expression. "I apologize if I caused you embarrassment earlier."

She shrugged. "It appears Den has not mentioned our encounter to Jax and Sacha."

"I agree. Since Sacha and Jax have not teased me about the kiss, there is a ninety-nine percent probability that Den has not mentioned our osculation research."

She smiled. "It doesn't matter if he did. It was just a scientific experiment." She gave me a curious gaze. "Correct?"

"Of course."

She cocked her head to the side in what I recognize as the human/zabrak gesture for curiosity. "What were the results of your experiment?"

I sat motionless for a moment as a strange sensation washed over me. I believe it was akin to reluctance or perhaps embarrassment. I do not know if I have the capacity to experience true embarrassment, but for some reason I did not want to reveal the outcome of the trial in its entirety.

"The experiment had some unusual results," I finally admitted.

"Such as?"

My droid brain balked at continuing, but I forged forward. "I discovered my Human Replica Droid chassis is capable of physical sensations similar to that of a human. In addition, I also experienced, what I would call, an affective state of consciousness."

She raised an eyebrow. "An affective state of consciousness?"

I thought of the best way to reword that sentence. "I experienced feelings or emotions."

Both of her brows rose at that comment. "What type of feelings?"

I looked down at the table as I collected my thoughts. "I do not have the proper vocabulary or understanding to adequately explain what I felt. I can tell you it was not an unpleasant sensation." I hesitated for a moment. "I also experienced a physical reaction to the kiss and your close proximity. Apparently the engineers who designed this HRD body decided to make it fully functional."

Magash's jaw dropped. "What?"

I felt a warming of my facial tissue, which I assume was this body's attempt to mimic a human blush. "I found the kiss…stimulating." I decided since both Magash and I were distressed by the conversation that I would throw in some levity. "Was it good for you?"

She stared at me slack jawed for a moment before she shook her head with a laugh. "I was told you are developing a sense of humor." She stood and gave me a wide smile. "You fooled me with your amusing story."

"Yes, my amusing story." I decided if she did not wish to believe what I had revealed, that was acceptable.

Magash laughed as she moved to the back cargo bay where she converted a large storage closet into a sleeping area. She wanted Sacha and Jax to have a cabin of their own. Den and Norro offered to give her our cabin, but she declined stating Dathomiri witches prefer more rustic accommodations.

Before she left the galley she turned to me and winked. "To answer your question. It was good for me."

My lower jaw dropped involuntarily before realizing I had just witnessed Magash's attempt at humor.

"This should be an interesting trip," I remarked as she exited the room. I stood and moved toward my cabin. "I must be becoming more human. I am already talking to myself."


	2. Chapter 2

**Entry 4**

We arrived to Phindar and made landfall in the capital city of Laressa. I believe Jax was disappointed at the condition of the planet's major populated area. It was a dark and grimy place, littered with trash and inhabited by despondent looking humanoids called Phindians. By despondent, I am not referring to their physical appearance—although they are a gangly species with knurled joints and long, misshapen faces—but to the pessimistic manner which they project. They walk around, eyes downcast, and shuffling about with a melancholy gait.

According to Jax, these beings were once under the control of a criminal organization called the Syndicat. About thirty years ago the Jedi helped overthrow the Syndicat, but the devastation of decades of cruelty and oppression still haunted the residents.

There are humans on the planet. They make up approximately three percent of the population and are concentrated in a colony twenty kilometers west of the capital city in a town called Svang. It is a mining town with reportedly all the amenities enjoyed by humans. Jax thought that might be a place worth looking into. Unfortunately the town does not have a spaceport, so we have to take a speeder to the location.

I decided it was best not to attract attention to myself. Humans were rare and I assume Human Replica Droids are even scarcer. I instead opted to have my droid brain transferred into my Artoo chassis.

Once inside the Astromech droid I came to realize I really enjoy being in the HRD chassis. When inside the Artoo body it felt like half my senses were cut off. I can see and hear with equal clarity, but my tactile sensations are limited. This droid has pressure sensors on the hull, but nothing like an HRD. In the human chassis I can sense the difference between a light caress and a grasp. The Artoo sensors only indicate something is touching my exterior.

I can't smell. My sensors analyze the air, but the actual sensation of smell is not there. I can't taste and this Artoo body cannot react to stimuli in the same way my human chassis can respond. The lack of sensations is unnerving, for lack of a better word. I do not enjoy being an Artoo unit. Another drawback is my friends once again ignore me. I know it is not intentional, but it happens with an alarming frequency.

Currently I am perched in the back seat of a rented speeder. Den, Norro and Jax are in the front seats and the two women are in the back of the vehicle with me. Not once have they tried to engage me in conversation. Instead they have rambled on about a myriad of female topics ranging from the changes of the female body during pregnancy to more intimate subjects involving my friend Jax. The latter conversation was spoken in hushed tones but was readily heard by my highly attuned audio sensors.

At this point I hope the two women don't remember I am sentient and within earshot. I am positive they did not intend their conversation to be heard by any other occupant in the vehicle.

I will not record in this journal exactly what was said, but suffice to say, Magash and Sacha have determined Jax is excellent breeding stock with capabilities I find questionable and is in most probability highly exaggerated. If I was capable of rolling my optical sensor I would, but I can't. That is another drawback to this droid body. Human facial gestures are impossible.

After a half hour drive we arrived to Svang. It was located in the middle of a tropical forest at the base of a mountain. We were told the ore mines run deep into the foothills. Most humans are miners, but there is a large town servicing the area. As we drove through the small city I observed restaurants, theaters, fuel stations, grocery stores, hotels, and a higher than normal percentage of taverns and cantinas.

Most of the humans walking on the sidewalks wore heavy overalls covered with dark dust. I did notice there was a very high male to female ratio. In fact I only saw a few women during our drive and I was not the only person to notice this disparity.

"There's not many women here," Sacha pointed out. She didn't sound happy about that fact. I assume she desired female companions. Den told me when humans become mated couples they are supposed to avoid close companionship with members of the opposite sex. I can see how this could be a distressing for Sacha. Magash is not in the same situation. I assumed she would be enthusiastic about the large amount of potential mates available, but that did not appear to be the case.

"Way too many men," Magash whispered to Sacha. "I don't like it."

I was confused over that comment for a couple reasons. First of all, why would an unattached female not desire a wide assortment of possible male companions? Secondly, why was I relieved that she expressed that sentiment? I decided I must be experiencing a glitch in my droid brain due to the switch in chassis.

"Where are the girls?" Norro moaned. "There were more women in the Slashtown Prison Colony on Despayre!" The young man let his head drop to the back of his seat as he stared to the roof of the speeder. "Please not here. I will never get a girlfriend. I will die a virgin."

Jax grinned. "There are a lot of female Phindians."

Norro made a choking noise. "I don't want to appear to be a speciesist but the Phindians are not even close to looking human." He shook his head sadly. "A near human would be nice." He grinned. "I wouldn't mind a Twi'lek, a Zeltron or a Zabrak." Once he mentioned Zabraks his face blushed bright red before turning to Magash. "I didn't mean you." His eyes widened a bit. "Not that you're not beautiful…I ah…I mean I would like to meet a girl my age."

Magash laughed. "Understandable."

Norro blew out a breath as he turned and looked out the front windshield for the remainder of the trip.

"There's the hotel we booked rooms in." Jax said as he parked the vehicle in the adjoining parking lot. Once parked, Jax and Den helped me out of the speeder. I detest the poor maneuverability of this droid model and regret my choice of chassis for this trip.

When the women exited the vehicle I heard a series of whistles and suggestive remarks coming from the men passing by. One bearded human offered the women his mustache as a form of transportation. I assume the male was either deranged or confused because his proposition made no sense. Both women scowled at the stranger and I noticed Jax's jaw tightened as he glared at the men.

"Come on, let's get inside." Jax ushered us into the hotel lobby where he rented two rooms. "One for the ladies and one for the males."

He held out the door passkey to Sacha who pouted. "Can't we afford one more room?" She pressed closer to Jax who blushed profusely. She wrapped her arms around his waist as she laid her head on his shoulder. "I still have money I saved from my pod racing days. Let's splurge."

Jax looked to his friends sheepishly. "Would you mind if we broke the group up into three rooms?" He glanced at Den. "You, Norro and I-Five can bunk together and I'll get a separate room for Magash."

That sounded like a reasonable compromise, but Magash balked at the suggestion. "I do not wish to sit in a room alone. I will become bored."

Jax looked over to me. "How about you and I-Five stay together? He's has a voice synthesizer. You two can converse with each other if you get bored."

At that moment Den grinned wildly and disguised a chuckle as a cough. "Three rooms is fine with me." He patted Norro on the back. "Norro and I will be fine together."

Magash looked to me and shrugged. "That is acceptable. I-Five tells amusing stories."

I noticed nobody asked me what I thought about this arrangement. ' _I'm just an astromech droid. There would be no reason for me to protest'_. That was what I was thinking in a sarcastic internal monolog, but I didn't say anything out loud. I didn't want to make a statement that might be misconstrued by Den...who obviously thinks my predicament is very humorous.

That belief was confirmed as we walked down the corridor on our way to our rooms. He winked at me before humming a tune that I recognize as music said to be ubiquitous to skin-holos. "Bow wow chicha bow wow," he sung before making a suggestive hip thrust.

For a second, I considered extending my arc welding arm and shocking my friend. Instead I lowered the volume of my voice synthesizer to the bare minimum and said, "Please stop."

Den laughed as he patted the dome of my chassis. "I'm just messing with you."

We arrived to the rooms and Jax handed out the keys. "Why don't we give ourselves a couple hours to relax and freshen up? That sonic shower on the ship just isn't the same as a long, hot shower."

"Or a bubble bath," Sacha chimed in with a suggestive grin.

Jax suppressed a smile. "Or a bubble bath." He looked at his wrist chrono. "Why don't we meet at the hotel restaurant at 1800 hours?"

All nodded in agreement and retired to their rooms. As soon as the door closed behind Magash and me she laughed. "I cannot believe Jax only asked for two hours to  _relax_. According to Sacha he can relax all night."

I trundled over to a corner of the room as I thought of a response. "That does not sound odd. I was told humans normally rest throughout the night."

Magash laughed at my comment. "Your sense of humor is enjoyable." She shrugged off her jacket and boots. "A hot bath does sound good though."

I turned my optical sensor away once I realized she was stripping for a bath. Now I am glad I am in my Artoo body. This chassis does not react to the same stimuli as the HRD body. For that I am thankful.

I wonder if she would mind if I use the power station and go into sleep mode. I know my circuits could use the rest.

.

.

**_Entry 5_ **

Magash and I arrived at the hotel restaurant at 1800 hours where the waitstaff regarded me curiously. Magash told our waiter she was having a business meeting with friends and I would record the proceedings. It appears I have been demoted from Astromech to minute taker.

We found our party sitting at a corner table. I took a position at the end of the table top next to Magash and Den. Jax and Sacha were looking particularly chipper. It appears they thoroughly relaxed together during our time apart.

The waiter took the drink orders while my group pored over their menus. It wasn't until their food orders were taken that Jax got to business. "I haven't seen any Stormtroopers while on planet. That's a good thing. But as Norro pointed out this appears to be a heavily male populated town. The main employer is the mining company, although there are probably food and recreation service related jobs available. We do have a ship, therefore we have the ability to work as traders with our main base here."

Norro shook his head. "Unless we are using our ship to transport women into this nerf-sausage town, I vote we try some other planet."

That comment confused me. I activated my voice synthesizer and said, "I wasn't aware there was a sausage meat market in Svang." This remark was greeted with laughter. Magash ran a hand over my silver dome in a friendly gesture. "I enjoy your dry humor."

"Thank you." I wasn't sure what was so funny. I downloaded from the holonet a complete list of businesses located within Svang and there was no mention of a nerf processing plant.

Sacha raised her hand slightly. "I do agree with Norro. I will feel uncomfortable if I have to deal with lecherous sleemos every day. The Antarian Rangers were mostly men, but they had manners."

Jax was about to say something but a middle-aged man approached our table interrupting our conversation. "Excuse me, I'm looking for my daughter." He handed a flimsi flier to Jax. "She was visiting me a week ago when she disappeared. There is a 5,000 credit reward for information leading to her safe return."

Jax gazed at the flier before he passed it down the table. "We'll keep an eye out for her, but we only arrived today."

The older man gazed at Sacha and Magash. "I would suggest you leave. I think there is a serial killer on the loose that is targeting women. I told my daughter not to come here to visit me, but she is strong-willed."

Jax nodded silently while staring at the man intensely. I have noticed Jax exhibits this type of penetrating gaze while manifesting his Force powers. I assume this man's Force aura is intriguing to him. Jax has a unique Force ability to see ribbons of color and light surrounding a person. Often he can predict the person's moral character or how that person is connected to others by observing the colors. He told me he once saw darks ribbons surrounding his friend Anakin Skywalker when they were padawans. At the time he was unsure what it meant. Either Anakin would turn to the darkside or his friend would be defeated by evil. I supposed both interpretations are correct.

"Thank you," Jax said with a sad smile. "We'll take your warning to heart. I am sorry about your daughter."

The man didn't have time to answer. A large, angry looking human male came out a side door and stormed over to the bereaved father. "I told you to stay out of my establishment! You're driving off customers."

The brute was probably in his late thirties with jet-black hair and an ugly scar snaking down one side of his face. The irate employee roughly grabbed the man by the back of the collar and yanked him toward the exit.

When Jax stood and protested the man's treatment the scarred faced thug let the man go and pointed to the door. He then glared at our group for a long pause before he walked off in a huff.

Jax sat back down looking uncomfortable. "I think Norro is right. This is not a place for us." He sighed audibly. "We'll leave tomorrow."

As my group ate, I scrutinized the employees, patrons and events transpiring around me. I saw the ruffian we encounter earlier pop his head out from side office seven times. Each time he spent between three to eight seconds watching our group consume their meal. It happened often enough that I determined the man was actively observing us. I concluded he either suffered from an unusual form of sitophilia or he believed we planned to eat-and-elude (theft by fraud).

We paid for the meal and retired to Norro and Den's room to watch a holo. Norro picked a holofilm about pirates. He has developed a fascination with piracy. I believe Jax's talk of becoming a trader has inflamed the young man's imagination.

At the end of the film we went to our respective rooms. Not wanting to intrude on Magash's privacy, I powered down and slipped into sleep mode almost immediately.


	3. Chapter 3

**_Entry 6_ **

At 0247 hours I switched out of sleep mode when my audio sensors detected the sound of our hotel door lock disengaging. I trained my optical sensor toward the room entrance and observed the door slowly open. The corridor hallway was unusually dark but my infrared vision allowed me to distinguish the identity of the intruder as the facially disfigured man from the restaurant. He opened the door a crack and gazed in. Since he obviously held a passkey there was a possibility he was a maintenance worker entering the wrong room. I paused before sounding the alarm.

"Are you sure this is the room without the male?" Came a voice of a second man.

"Yes. Both of you get in and keep it quiet."

That was all I needed to hear. My voice synthesizer allowed me to vocalize in a modulated tinny voice, but the Artoo chassis also had various alarms, beeps and whistled which I activated simultaneously. "Intruder! Intruder!" I moved from the charging station as two men wearing knitted cold weather masks and night vision goggles entered the dark room. One intruder held what looked like stuncuffs. The second taller man carried a hand cloth possibly to be used as a gag.

"Kriff! Kytt didn't say anything about a droid!" one of the men cursed. "Let's get her and get out."

I moved in a trajectory that would intercept the two intruders. My optical sensor was aimed at the men, but I could detect the sound of Magash jumping out of bed. The goggles must induce tunnel vision because one intruder ran directly into my Artoo chassis, smashing his knee before he let out a string of profanity that was impressive in its quantity and multiplicity.

I heard the rustling sound of unarmed combat and Magash calling out for help. I moved around to the other side of the bed where the two men were struggling to restrain her. One criminal attempted to place a cloth over her face. Because of the amount of noise generated in this tussle I now concluded it might not be a gag, but most likely a paralytic or anesthetic chemically soaked rag. They were intent on incapacitating my friend.

The men immediately discovered Magash was not an easy woman to abduct. The taller man grabbed her shoulder and was rewarded with an elbow to his nose. There was a spray of blood as he dropped the cloth and fell back a step before he lunged toward Magash again. The other man picked up the rag and tried to shove it over the Dathomiri witch's face. She slapped the cloth away and managed to bring her knee up into his groin. He screamed before dropping down to his knees and vomiting. Magash then shoved the other man hard enough that he made an indentation on the plaster wall. I was highly impressed by her ability to fight in almost complete darkness. I assume she was using the Force to assist her.

I was confused as to why reinforcements had not arrived. Jax should be here by now. Eleven-point-six seconds have elapsed since I signaled the alert. There was no way he could sleep through the commotion I was making.

The taller man struggled to his feet. Deciding to forgo stealth, he unholstered his blaster and shot Magash with a stun bolt. As she slumped to the ground, I lurched forward as fast as I could, cursing the limitations of this droid body. An Astromech was not built for ground combat. I should have brought my HRD body. For the first time ever I wished I were truly human so I could assist Magash in her struggle to drive off these men. The best that I could do was use one of my numerous mechanical arms to distract the invaders. As I neared the man with the blaster I extended my manipulator arm tipped with a circular saw. It was designed to cut through damaged starship hulls, therefore it should easily slice through human skin and bones. I activated the device and jammed the blade into the intruder's leg. A large gash appeared followed by blood splatter. The masked man screamed before he turned his blaster toward me and fired.

.

.

**_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _**********_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _**  
**_[System Error] [System Error]_**

**_[System overload]_ **

pSome required information is missing or incomplete. Please correct your entries and try again./p

**A problem has been detected and all nonessential systems have been shut down to prevent damage to your droid brain.**

**Technical information:**

******Stop: 0x88403045jr (0duu44950, T5Y330, Hsd777)**

****** - Address DE8439 base at UFF0438**

**There is a problem with this programs security certificate. (Error code: Sec_error_delete_Issuer)**

 

.

.

.

.

**_Three months have passed since my last entry. My droid brain was impaired by a surge of blaster energy. The damaged resulted in irregular and unanticipated changes in my memory. I experienced something similar to psychogenic or dissociative amnesia. There were gaps in my episodic memory and some minor damage to my semantic memory._ **

**_At this time I have fully recovered and will attempt to chronicle the events that occurred immediately after I was hit by the blaster bolt._ **

**_Entry 7_ **

**_Recovered Memory:_ **

The blasterbolt jolted me backwards as every alarm in my Artoo body squealed. I managed to remain upright for a moment before my stabilizers failed and I toppled over. I was able to turn my optics to focus on the man whose leg I sliced. He was cursing in a couple languages as he grabbed up the cloth from the floor and pressed it to his wound in an attempt to stop the flow of blood. My belief that the cloth was soaked in a paralytic was confirmed when his injured leg suddenly gave way, dropping him to the floor. The semi-prone man cursed his own stupidity as the other shorter criminal struggled to his feet.

"Kriff this. I'm not going to jail for a Slaga." With his hand still clutching his injured testicles he limped out of the room leaving his friend behind to curse him for his cowardice. Shortly after Jax, Sacha entered the room, both in various stages of undress. I guess that explains why it took over twelve seconds for them to arrive. Jax was wearing boxer briefs and brandishing a blaster. Sacha held a small blaster in one hand while using her free hand to hold her bathrobe closed. Den was the next to enter. He had a noticeable knot on his head with blood trickling down from his mouth. Norro stumbled in behind him, floundering around in the dim light.

Den, having acute night vision, quickly found the room's light switch and flicked on the lights. The man on the floor screamed before flinging his night-vison goggles off his face. Half blinded from the surge of light, he lifted his weapon blindly searching for a target, but Jax was faster. There was a flash of a blaster bolt and the man collapsed unconscious.

Jax and Sacha went to aid Magash as Den and Norro helped set me upright. Den looked into my optical sensor concerned. "Power down! We need to contain this damage. Power down and I'll get us back to the ship for repairs."

That is all I remember about the attack.

.

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**_Entry 8_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

"I-Five, can you hear me?" It was Den's voice I heard drifting over the blackness. "Can you open your eyes?"

I forced my eyes open and blinked a few times at the light above me. I raised my head and realized I was lying on a makeshift cot placed on top of two large metallic packing crates. I ran a hand over my face as I tried to recall how I got here. "Where am I?"

My Sullustan friend was standing on a step stool next to me allowing him a better view of my prone body. He frowned slightly at my question. "We're inside the  _Laranth's_ cargo bay. What's the last thing you remember?" I tried to sit up but Den put his hands out to keep me from moving. "Don't move just yet. I don't need you falling over and damaging yourself. We don't have a way to replace that pretty face of yours."

I smiled slightly as I returned to a prone position. The last thing I remembered was being in town of Svang. Suddenly the memory of the attempted hotel abduction came flooding back. "Magash!" This time I did sit up. "Is Magash alright?"

Den steadied me as I swung my legs over the side of the cargo crates. "Yes, thankfully your warning woke everybody up and you and Magash were able to fight off the intruders."

I noticed a bruise on Den's head. "What happened to you?"

Den brought his hand up to his head. "When I first hear you call out for help I ran out to the corridor and was blaster-whipped by that guy we saw in the restaurant."

"The one with the scar."

Den nodded. "I got a good look at him despite the fact the corridor lights were disconnected. I was temporarily stunned and almost lost consciousness. I saw a masked man with night vision goggles exit your room. The guy with the scar grabbed his collar and practically dragged him down the corridor. They escaped down the dark hallway as Norro, Jax and Sacha exited their rooms. Jax ran into your room and caught the attacker you injured. The police are looking for the other two men, but haven't found them yet. We got you back to the ship right away…you were in bad shape."

"How long have I been unconscious?"

Den made a pained expression. "Two days. I was really worried your brain was permanently damaged…but it looks like you are going to be alright."

"How's my brother?"

"Your brother?" Den's expression morphed into one of confusion. "Do you mean Jax?"

Now I was confused. Why did Den say it that way? "Of course, Jax. I only have one brother."

He gazed at me for a second before answering. "Jax is fine." He looked into my eyes before he ran a sensor over my body. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yes, of course. Is there something wrong?"

Den shrugged. "I've only heard you refer to Jax as your brother a couple times in jest. When you said it just now, it sounded like you really meant it."

"What?" I was confused by this conversation and worried that Den's memory might be impaired by his head injury. "Jax  _is_  my brother. He's my older brother. Lorn Pavan was our father." I hesitated for a moment. "Are you okay, Den? You sound off."

"I'm fine," he said slowly. He looked to the door and then to me. "I think I'm going to get Jax and the others." He took a step toward the door before turning around and holding out his arms in a halting gesture. "Don't get up. I think you are experiencing some memory problems and it might affect other things…like motor function. Don't move."

"Okay." As my friend left the room I held out my hands and arms looking for injuries. I unbuttoned my tunic and ran a hand over my chest and back. I remember being hit by a blaster, but I didn't see any injury. I decided it must have been a stunbolt that scrambled my brain.

My group of friends soon entered the room. All looked happy to see me awake, but there was a hint of concern in their eyes.

Jax came up and put a hand on my shoulder. "I'm so glad you weren't irreparably damaged."

"You mean dead?" I chuckled as I buttoned up my tunic.

Jax grinned. "If you want to put it that way. I'm glad you aren't dead."

Jax moved back to allow Magash to approach. She was wearing a green formfitting body suit that complimented her light red skin. Her silky, shoulder length, black hair was tied back, fully exposing her cranial horns. I am accustomed to her strong stoic veneer, but today she appeared troubled. There was a look of concern in her emerald green eyes as she walked up to me. She brought a hand to my shoulder and squeezed it gently. "I am relieved that you are well. Thank you for your assistance with the attackers. You risked great injury to assist me. You have a warrior's spirit within you."

I flashed a smile. Magash is a ferocious fighter; to be complimented by her is a great honor.

"You were doing fine until you got stunned."

"You warned everybody and protected me after I was rendered unconscious." She hesitated for a moment before leaning forward and giving me a quick hug. " You are a good friend."

I grinned as a hot blush crossed my face. "You'd do it for me."

She nodded in agreement. "Jax told me how you temporarily crippled my attacker with your circular saw. That was an impressive use of the tools at hand."

My brow furrowed. I remember cutting the intruder, but for some reason I thought it was with a vibroblade. "A circular saw? Why would I have a circular saw? Wasn't it a vibroblade?"

Jax shook his head. "You got him with your Artoo circular saw manipulator arm."

I starred at Jax perplexed; this conversation was becoming surreal. "I don't understand? I had an Artoo unit with me?"

All of my friends went silent and turned to each other their expressions a mixture of fear and confusion. Jax returned his hand to my shoulder and gazed into my eyes. "I-Five, you were inside your Artoo chassis. It was damage, so we transferred you to this body."

"What?" That was all I could think to say. I had no idea what my brother was getting at. "What are you talking about?"

Jax glanced to Den and then to the others. When his gaze returned to me his face was pale. He had the look of a man who grudgingly had to deliver bad news to a family member.

"I-Five, you do know you're a droid, don't you?"

I stared at Jax slack jawed. I wasn't sure what type of joke this was, but I didn't find it funny. I looked down at my hands—my human hands—as I shook my head with a dry laugh. "Whose idea was it to mess with me when I woke up?" I turned to Den. "Was it you?"

The diminutive alien shook his head, his black eyes wide with apprehension. "I-Five you  _are_  a droid. A sentient droid, but still a droid."

"No." I was going to say something else, but a memory trickled up in the back of my mind as if the truth was trying desperately to resurface. A recollection of a protocol droid appeared for a second, but then quickly vanished. I turned to Jax, my voice taking on a desperate tone. "I remember growing up with our father and you going to the Temple. He was heartbroken."

Jax ran a hand through his hair before reaching back and massaging his neck. "I-Five, my father purchased you at a junk yard. You were a badly damaged protocol droid. He tried to repair you, but he did something wrong…or maybe something right. He disabled your creative dampeners during your refurbishing. As the years progressed you started to learn and think for yourself and eventually you became sentient."

I shook my head angrily. I thrust out my hands. "Stop saying that! Look at me!" I flexed my hands. "I'm human. I'm not a protocol droid." I pulled in a deep breath. "I can breathe!"

"You are currently in a human replica droid chassis," Den explained. "It's made to mimic a human body exactly. It even has mock organs to fool medical scanners."

"I am not a droid!" I was becoming increasingly alarmed by this discussion. What was going on? I remember being shot in the hotel. Was I in a medically induced coma and currently dreaming? "Droids don't have emotions and they can't feel fear or love. If I'm a droid why do I have these sensations?" My voice cracked with overwhelming emotion, but for some reason the tears did not come.

"Oh, I-Five." It was Sacha's sad voice. She looked brokenhearted as she walked up and pulled me into her embrace and rested her head on my shoulder. She was sniffling and soon I felt her tears soaking through my tunic. "I-Five, you feel love, because you are loved." She leaned back and gave me a sad smile. "You're something more than a droid. You are self-aware and capable of learning what it is to be human. And you are our friend. I don't know what happened to you, but we'll get through this together."

I didn't want to have this conversation. I am not a droid! I am a man. My friends are either pulling a horrible practical joke on me or they've all gone barvy. That must be it. They experienced their own brain injuries during the fight and are now delusional. I can't be a droid. I remember doing things. I have a life and friends and desires. I can't be a droid! An uncomfortable sensation washed over me as my eyes began to flutter and my body began to shake uncontrollably.

I heard Den call out, "That looks like shock."

Jax came up to me and helped me back down to a prone position. "Is that possible?"

"Input overload?" Den ventured.

"What do we do?" The sound of fear and concern in Magash's voice made me even more frightened. Was I dying?

"I-Five calm down." Jax looked to Den. "Can we disable him?"

"His droid brain has a deactivation override. He has to put himself into a sleep mode."

Jax looked over me. "I-Five, go into a sleep mode."

"I don't know what you're talking about." I cried out in terror. "What's going on?!"

Magash came up to me and laid her hands on my chest allowing me to feel the calming warmth of her fingers through my tunic. "Just go to sleep," she said softly. "Close your eyes and relax. You are among friends. We are here for you."

Her voice was calm and soothing; slowly my shivering subsided. "Close your eyes," she repeated. I closed my eyes and tried to will myself to sleep. I heard the sound of people leaving the room and hushed conversations in the outer corridor. Magash remained behind, her soft voice comforting me. "I will stay here with you. Please sleep, my friend." I reached up and placed my hand over hers as a small nervous smile touched my lips.

"Thank you." I released her hand and let my arms drop to my side. I don't know how they expected me to sleep when I've just woken up to a nightmare, but eventually the impossible happened…I drifted off into a deep slumber.


	4. Chapter 4

**_Entry 9_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

When I woke I found Den sitting in a chair by my side. He smiled and stood when I started to move. "You're back."

I rolled to my side and propped myself up on an elbow. "How long was I unconscious this time?"

"Eighteen hours. We've been taking turns watching over you." He looked toward the door leading to the crew cabins. "I should let everybody know you're awake."

I reached out and grabbed the sleeve of his tunic. "Wait. I need to talk to someone and you're my oldest friend."

A small smile formed under his dew flaps. "Sure, we can talk." He grabbed his chair and pulled it up closer to me. "Just don't get too worked up. I am still trying to determine what's wrong with your memory core."

"About that." I looked down at the deck not knowing what to say. I already adamantly protested that I was human and not a droid and look what that got me. "I know you all say I'm a droid, but everything in my memories tell me I'm not. I recall working as a medical assistant in the Clone Wars on Drongar." I turned to him and smiled. "That's where we met. We used to play sabacc together. One time you got me drunk and we got into a bar fight at Rimsoo's Cantina. You can't tell me that didn't happen."

Den blinked his large dark eyes a few times before answering. "It did happen. You somehow managed to get yourself electronically drunk. If you recall you had your arm pulled off by a Wookiee during that cantina fight."

I sat up and swung my legs over the edge of my cot. "Yes, I did." I ran a hand over the shoulder that was injured but couldn't locate any scars. I looked to Den and shrugged. "Cybernetic limbs are common and they're indistinguishable from the original."

Den's shoulders slumped for a moment before he gave me an excited grin. "I know how to prove it. I can put your droid brain into your 501Z police droid body."

A feeling of abject terror surged through me. "No!"

"Why not? You've done it dozens of times before."

"How would you like it if I told you I was going to scoop out your brain and put it into a droid body?"

Den shook his head in frustration. "Since I am not a droid, I would find that prospect a bit disconcerting…because it would kill me."

"How about if I gave you a very convincing story that you are really a droid. Would you have confidence in the procedure based on my word?"

"I see what you mean." Den blew out a frustrated breath. "Wait. I don't have to do the transfer. Most of your body is sealed shut and you need a special tool to reseal the skin, but the entrance to your brain cavity is at the back of your head and the seams are concealed by your hair. I just have to peal that back and bring a couple mirrors to show you." He gave me a quizzical expression. "Would that work?"

I sat there feeling torn. I would like to put this argument to rest, but at the same time I know I won't react well if what Den claims is true. Would I go into shock again? "I…umm," I mumbled nervously not knowing what I should do. I received a reprieve from answering when Magash exited the crew quarters area and walked into the cargo bay. She obviously had just came from the 'fresher. She was wearing a knee length bathrobe and little else. She smiled upon seeing me and walked over to my location.

"Are you well?" She came to a stop directly in front of me. The cargo containers I was perched upon were tall so I sat about a head higher than Magash.

"I…ummm…yeah," I managed to mumble as my eyes moved from her mesmerizing green eyes, along her perfectly proportioned face, down the curve of her neck before ending their journey at her ample cleavage.

At that point I realized Den was full of Bantha scat. I felt a fluttering in my rib cage, my breathing grew rapid and I was becoming embarrassingly excited by her presence. There was no way I was a droid!

I tried to say something but only incoherent disjointed thoughts coalesced inside my brain. Magash must have noticed my discombobulation. She turned to Den concerned. "Is he going to be okay?"

To my relief, my friend realized my problem and covered for me. "He'll be fine." He reached up and put a hand on her elbow and guided her to the large storage room she had commandeered as her private quarters. "Just give him some time to get back to normal."

When Magash was in her room and behind closed doors Den returned to me while chuckling. "You have it bad for her!"

I threw my hands out in a frustrated gesture. "That should be proof enough that I'm human. A droid wouldn't notice…or get flustered by…stuff." I was totally rambling at this point—another indication that I'm human.

Den's grin grew wider. "Stuff? You mean breasts?"

I shook my head exasperated. "I didn't say that. And please don't objectify her in that manner. She is a friend. We're just friends."

"Kissing friends," Den joked.

At that moment a memory flashed through my mind. It was an image of me and Magash kissing. "That's right! We've kissed before." I pointed toward her quarters. "Why would she kiss a droid?"

Den stepped back and settled down on his chair before leaning forward and whispering to me conspiratorially. "So, you remember the kiss?"

I nodded. "That is not something one would forget."

"Do you remember why you two kissed?"

I thought back but the details were fuzzy. "I assume because she finds me handsome and with a pleasant personality."

My friend laughed. "That may be her reason, but your reported motive was to see how a Human Replica Droid reacted to kissing a female."

I made a face. That was the stupidest thing I have ever heard. "That doesn't make sense."

"Okay, why do you think you were in her room that night of the attempted abduction?"

My eyes went wide as I realized I indeed  _was_  alone in a hotel room with her. "Are you saying we're lovers?

Den make a choking sound that morphed into uncontrollable laughter. He had both of his hands over his mouth in an effort to muffle his amusement. "No, you're not lovers." He gave me a wink. "Unless there's something you haven't told me. No, she didn't want to be alone and you were a droid in an Artoo chassis. She felt comfortable with you in the room with her."

"That's ridiculous." I frowned at Den. "You're just jealous, aren't you? Jax is with Sacha, I romanced Magash and there are no female Sullustans for you."

Den chuckled while shaking his head. "That must be it." He stood and patted me on the knee. "If you want to believe you're human, that's fine. I suspect your full memory will return by itself in a few days to a month."

"But I am human!"

Den brought his hands up in a gesture of surrender. "I am not going to argue. All it does is upset you. Besides, there's no real danger in believing you're human. Now if a human thought he was an Artoo unit, that might be a problem. A human can't survive the vacuum of space and I would be worried as to what appendage they would use to access a computer port…but take my advice."

"What?"

"Don't eat or drink unless you are hungry or thirsty. Okay?"

I nodded. "Okay."

"Good. I'll let the others know you are up and about. We may need your assistance. We got hired to do some private investigative work here on Phindar."

"Does it have to do with Magash's attempted kidnapping?"

Den grimaced. "Unfortunately, it does."

.

.

**_Entry 10_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

Den and I left the cargo bay and found Sacha, Jax and Norro sitting around the galley dining table looking at datapads. Sacha and Jax appeared to be in deep concentration while Norro's amused expression and quick movement of his fingers over the touchpad told me he was probably playing a game. When I entered the room Jax smiled brightly.

"What a relief!" He walked over and grabbed me up in a brotherly hug. "Don't scare me like that. I was worried sick."

He stepped back and allowed Sacha to approach and embrace me. "How are you feeling?" she asked.

"I am fine." I glanced back to Den standing behind me. "I was told we were hired to do some investigating about the Magash's attempted abduction."

"That's correct." Jax motioned Den and me toward the table. When we were seated Jax handed me his datapad. "Remember the man who came up to us in the restaurant looking for his daughter? His name is Ralf Soren. His daughter is named Sondra. He wants to hire us to look for her."

I examined the datapad handed to me. On it was an image of a comely young lady with long brown hair and a friendly smile. "Since the scarred face man from the restaurant perpetrated Magash's attempted kidnapping, it stands to reason that he might be the person who orchestrated the abduction of that man's daughter."

Jax nodded. "That's what I think. Unfortunately he and his accomplice disappeared and the third coconspirator that's in custody is not talking."

I nodded my head slowly. "What information do we have?"

Jax leaned closer to me and punched a few keys on the datapad I was holding, setting it up for a split screen option. "On the right is the list of reported missing human females from Svang. On the left is the list of all incoming and outgoing ships from the capital city of Laressa during the same time periods of the kidnappings. We figure if a female is snatched on planet she might be transported to an unknown location from the spaceport."

I looked up from the datapad. "True, unless the missing women are being held hostage in a secluded location. Svang is a town with a high demand for women. It would be counterproductive to kidnap what few women available there and take them to a more populated location. They would command a much higher price on Svang."

Jax nodded at me knowingly. It is obvious he had already came to this conclusion. "Unless they are being moved to the other human mining town on the other side of the planet. It is much smaller than Svang and it is also more isolated. They do have a small docking port out of sheer necessity. They are far too isolated to move supplies by speeder like they do from Laressa to Svang."

"If the women are going there they have to be transported out of the spaceport in Laressa," Sacha added. "I plan on trying to do a remote slice into the city's surveillance system."

I heard the cargo door open and turned to see Magash enter the crew area. She was now dressed in a green, one-piece, coverall. She smiled at the group before taking a seat at the table. "Have you determined a mission for me?" She was addressing Jax. Despite Jax's determination to stop training of Sacha and Magash to be Jedi, both women look up to my brother as their mentor and leader of our group.

Jax nodded. "I thought you, Sacha, Den and I-Five would stay here in the capital city and see if you can find evidence of the missing daughter at the spaceport or anywhere else in Laressa." He turned to Norro. "Norro and I will go back to Svang and pose as miners. I think Norro is old enough to pull that off."

"Do you think the miners are involved in human trafficking?" I asked.

Jax shook his head. "Probably not directly. I do think if the women are secreted away in some criminal underworld brothel in Svang, the only possible customers for that type of illegal activity are the miners. I thought I could pass Norro off as my younger brother. I could ask around as to where to get him a girl for his birthday."

Everybody startled when Norro jumped up from his seat excitedly. "Woohoo! I'm getting a girl for my birthday!"

Jax frowned. "I'm not really getting you a prostitute, Norro." He shook his head. "What type of father would I be if I did that?"

"A great one!" Norro grinned and then laughed. "I'm just joking."

I had to smile at the boy. He was probably thirteen or fourteen years old, but he spent his entire life on a prison planet with hardened criminals. I don't know how he managed to keep a jovial outlook on life.

Still he was young and probably shouldn't be put in such danger. "Will you two be safe alone? Perhaps I should join you? We can be three men looking for female company."

Jax laughed. "No, I think we'll be fine." He pointed at Norro. "He's street smart when it comes to criminal activities. People talk in prison. Also, I think he has a Force talent when it comes to knowing who to trust. It's the women I worry about. I'll feel much better if you and Den are with the ladies. I know they are both great fighters, but I think having two males with them will act as a deterrent for would-be kidnappers." He motioned towards Norro. "Besides, this will give us some father-son bonding time together."

Norro's face blossomed into a wide grin. Since Jax saved the teenager from Despayre, the boy has followed the former Jedi around like a lost pittin. It is obvious that Norro has a bad case of hero worship when it comes to his savior. I can't blame the boy. All my life I heard how proud our father was of Jax the Jedi Padawan. Lorn Pavan might have hated the Jedi Order for taking his son, but he always held his boy in high esteem.

I closed my eyes momentarily at the thought of my father. In my mind Lorn Pavan was my parent, no matter what my friends say about me being a droid. I shook the thought from my head. I don't want to think that the man I remember as my father actually found me in a junk yard. I won't believe it.

"What's wrong I-Five?" Jax asked.

"Nothing." I handed him back the datapad. "When do we start?"

Jax looked to the members of our group. "Tomorrow morning."


	5. Chapter 5

**_Entry 11_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

Jax and Norro rented a speeder today in preparation for their return to Svang. Before they left Jax pulled me into the  _Laranth's_  cargo hold for a talk.

"Do me a favor, I-Five." Jax whispered while looking over his shoulder nervously. "Don't tell Sacha I asked you…but will you keep an eye on her for me. She's stubborn and reckless and I don't want her doing anything to endanger the baby."

I tried not to laugh, but a deep chuckled burst from me. "She's reckless? This is coming from the man who snuck away from his friends so he could infiltrated Kantaros Station alone in an ill-conceived attempt to rescue Whiplash resistance leader Thi Xon Yimmon?"

Jax frowned at my comment before his lips turned up into a grin. "And if you recall, you, Sacha and Den independently decided to perform an equally suicidal rescue mission to Kantaros Station."

I was about to argue, but realized he was right. "I guess we're all a bit rash."

"That's what I mean. Sacha is a great fighter, but I don't want to take any chances when it comes to her pregnancy." He put his hands on my shoulders and gazed at me solemnly. "Promise me you won't allow her to take on anything dangerous. Please."

I nodded. "I promise. I don't want anything to happen to her or my future baby nephew either."

Jax smiled warmly. "Thanks. I have a feeling I'll have my hands full with Norro. He's eager for adventure. He has already asked me if he can wear a blaster."

"A teenager with a blaster. What could go wrong?"

Jax laughed and gave me a brotherly pat on the back. "Hopefully this job won't take too long. I want to be off this planet as soon as possible."

I walked him to the crew quarters and said my goodbyes to Norro. I noticed the young man appeared a bit peeved over his lack of weapon.

After a long tearful goodbye with Sacha, Jax picked up his luggage and left the ship with his informally adopted son.

With any luck they won't get into too much trouble.

.

.

**_Entry 12_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

The reality of my situation has started to sink in.

My epiphany occurred while in the 'fresher. I suppose _epiphany_  is not the proper term because it wasn't a sudden flash of insight. It occurred slowly as I stood in front of the toilet, seat up, feet apart, and trying my best to urinate. From what my friends have told me it has been four days since Magash's attempted abduction. I recall going to dinner that evening. I don't remember what I ate or drank, but I am sure I did imbibe in something. I must have. Therefore I should have an urge to urinate or defecate, but I don't. In fact I haven't been hungry or thirsty since I woke up.

I gritted my teeth in frustration as I zipped up my trousers. I went to the sink and washed my hands while gazing at my reflection in the mirror. My face was human, but there is something about my complexion that looked odd. My skin color is too uniform. I don't have a blemish, pimple, or even a clogged pore on my perfectly toned skin. It is a handsome face, brown hair and eyes, strong jaw with pleasant features. I ran a hand over my smooth jaw. I didn't have any stubble. Of course, neither does Jax. He has all of his facial hair permanently depilated. There was a chance that I had the same procedure done.

I dried my hands and left the 'fresher knowing I was just fooling myself. There is no other way to explain why I don't sweat, cry, drool, urinate or defecate. There is also no reason my friends would continue to lie to me about my…condition.

I went into the ship cabin that I once shared with Den and Norro. According to them I didn't have a bunk but 'slept' in a chair. When they told me that I decided to continue sleeping on the makeshift cot in the cargo area. I wasn't going to prop myself in a corner of a room like an appliance.

When I entered the cabin I found Den sitting at his desk and reading his datapad, most likely doing research for this mission. Since we are private investigators we can't barge into the police department and demand their reports. We have to submit requests for public records, search flight manifests, and trawl the holonet to see if we can find any interesting chatter. Sacha tried to do a remote slice into the Public Security building located downtown, but experienced interference. Tomorrow we plan to relocate from the ship to a hotel with line-of-site to the governmental buildings.

Den looked up from his datapad and smiled and waved me inside.

"How are you feeling?"

I sat down on Den's bunk and stared at the floor. "Does it matter? I'm a droid."

"Oh," Den blew out a breath before turning his chair around to face me fully. "What brought you to that conclusion?"

I shook my head sadly. "I can't do normal 'human' functions. I tried to drink an hour ago and it just triggered a gag reflex and I spit the water up. I attempted to urinate but…nothing came out." A feeling of utter hopelessness washed over me. I don't understand why I can feel these emotions if I am actually a droid. "Why did this happen to me Den?"

He walked over and put his hand on my shoulder before sitting down next to me. "I don't know. In the past you have expressed frustration about how people treat you when you were not in this…body. You always felt belittled by biological sentients. I know it is frustrating, but they don't know any better. A sentient droid is rare." He gave me a small smile. "You are the only one I know of. People see droids as…"

When he struggled for the right word I supplied it. "As machines or tools. Things to use and then throw away."

Den looked down and sighed. "Yes, but droids are not the only ones treated as such." He looked up and gazed at me sadly. "We both served in a medical unit during the clone wars. You remember how the clones were treated."

I ran a hand through my hair as I thought back to those awful times. "They were called wet droids."

Den nodded. "They were created to be warriors, denied citizenship, and hunted down and killed if they didn't serve the Republic. They were slaves. The politicians that sent them to war didn't see them as human, or unique or having personalities."

I glared at Den in confused frustration. "Is this supposed to make me feel better? Because if it is, I have to tell you, you are not good at consoling."

Den rolled his eyes. "No, it's to show you that how you are perceived by the general population doesn't determine who you are. The clones we knew had unique personalities. They loved and laughed. They gave themselves names and became individuals. It didn't matter what the rest of the galaxy thought of them. They knew they were real people, that they mattered." He stood and started pacing the room while pointing a finger at me. "Don't let others cubbyhole you into the category of  _droid_. You, my friend, are so much more. You are creative, adaptive, self-aware, intelligent, kind, and self-sacrificing. You have all the good qualities of being human and none of the bad." He paused with a grin. "Well, that is if you don't count sarcasm."

I had to chuckle at that last comment. "I'm still a droid."

Den shook his head. "No! No, I don't think so.  _You_  are unique. I see you as a newly discovered mineral life form."

I scoffed at the idea. "Even if I am a mineral life form is not the same as being alive."

Den sat down in his chair and starred at me for a long moment. "Jax can sense you in the Force. Do you know what that means?"

I shook my head. "No."

He clasped his hands together in front of his chest. "It means you have a connection to the Force. Almost every religion in this galaxy sees this link as a sign of a living creature. I-Five, you are alive!"

I smiled at his enthusiasm. "Maybe, but I'll never have what Jax has. A companion and children."

Den gave me a dismissive wave of the hand. "You don't know that. You may not be able to father a child, but you can adopt a stray like Norro. As for companionship, you have been a great friend and I believe you can find someone to share your life with one day."

I shook my head in doubt.

"I-Five, you can't be the only one of your kind. You might be able to find others like you."

I blew out my breath. "That would be great if I didn't feel…human." I ran a hand down my face in frustration. "Den, I may accept the fact that I am a droid, but deep down…I feel human. A human with feelings, needs and desires." I lowered my voice so if they women walked down the hall they wouldn't hear. "Den, I am attracted to human females."

"Or Zabraks," Den teased.

"Or Zabraks," I conceded. "The point is, I'm not attracted to Threepio units with female programing." I threw my hands up in frustration. "How long will I feel this way? It is a curse to feel human and not be human. Why did this happen?"

"I don't know. You have had memory damage before and you self-repaired. This feeling of being human may go away."

I made a face as I shook my head. "I don't know if I want it to go away." I gazed into his dark eyes. "Den, if you were told you weren't really a Sullustan, would you wish you didn't feel like one?"

He chewed on his bottom lip in thought. "I don't know how I would feel in that situation." He walked over and sat next to me, giving my shoulder a squeeze. "Listen. You are getting too wrapped up about this. You are among friends who have always seen you are special and a real person. Just take things day-by-day and see what happens. Nothing has really changed except your perspective on things. All of your friends care for you deeply." He stood and patted me on the shoulder. "Come on, let's go see what the women are doing."

I stood and walked to the cabin door. "They are probably doing what they always do…talking about the men in their lives."

"Oh," Den grinned. "Those droid ears of yours are at it again. Do they talk about me?"

I laughed feeling a little embarrassed. "Sometimes. They thought you were attracted to the Drall that worked in the dining hall on Toprawa."

"What!" He shook his head. "The ladies need a class on species anatomy. That Drall was male. And even if he wasn't, just because we are both burrowing species doesn't mean I would be interested." He gave a shudder. "Dralls are head-to-toe hair! I like my females pink and hairless."

I grinned. "It's nothing that a razor won't cure."

He gave me a playful punch to my side as we walked out of the cabin. "I'm glad to see your sardonic sense of humor wasn't altered by that blasterbolt." He gave me a curious look. "Does Sacha or Magash they ever talk about you?"

I shook my head feeling disappointed. "No, not that I remember."

"Where have you two been?" Sacha called out as we entered the dining area of the ship. Sacha and Magash were sitting at the table reading datapads and sipping stimtea.

Den grinned. "We are just talking guy stuff." He slid into the chair next to Sacha leaving me the seat next to Magash. I had to smile at Den, knowing he did that on purpose.

I grinned as I sat down next to her. I realize there is nothing romantic about scrutinizing digital ship manifests, but I have to admit that I enjoy the company.

.

.

**_Entry 13_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

We paid for a hotel room near the governmental center of the Capital City of Laressa. I am sure the species diversity of our little group raised a few eyebrows at the check-in desk. A Sullustan, Zabrak/human hybrid, human and a Human Replica Droid walk into a hotel and asked for a room—that sounds like the start of a tasteless joke.

We rented a room facing the governmental office and planetary courthouse. I was also told the building a block down was the Government Communications Headquarters. It was a huge building reportedly occupied by huge mainframe computers used by the Phindian goverment for processing bulk data such as census, industry and consumer statistics or public surveillance vid feeds.

Sacha had a small computer with her that she set up on the room's writing desk. She intended to slice into the Communications Headquarters and try to access the public imagers that cover the streets, parks, public parking areas, spaceports and other public transport interchanges. I am not an expert at slicing, so I asked Sacha how she intended to break into a governmental security system.

She activated the computer before turning and giving me a wide smile. "Slicing into the surveillance recordings might be a little harder than accessing the real time surveillance. You see all surveillance cameras built are given a default username and password. Most of the time the security technicians don't even bother changing the settings, especially if the camera is for public surveillance. It is supposed to be accessible to the public by filling out request forms. Because of this I have discovered that many cameras are still on the default settings. I just needed to know which company produced the surveillance system. When we walked here I saw a few close up and I realized they were designed by a company called WQuintar security systems."

"And you know the default for those imagers?"

"I have the default commands for over a hundred security companies. You would be surprised what information the Antarian Rangers had in their possession."

She turned back to the computer and pushed a series of buttons for about ten minutes before she exclaimed, "Ah ha!" She turned to us. "I have access to real-time feeds. Now I have to work on getting into the recorded data. I'll stream the real-time images to your datapads while I continue to try to slice into the mainframe. Let me know if you see our missing woman."

Den, Magash and I pulled our datapads out of our luggage and looked around for somewhere to sit. Sacha was occupying the only table and chair in the room. The only other furniture in the chamber were two large beds, a dresser and a nightstand. Den jumped onto one of the beds and stacked two pillows against the headboard to act as a cushion for his back. He leaned against his makeshift backrest and began monitoring his datapad. Magash decided to do the same. She began to take both pillows on the other bed but then hesitated before holding out a pillow for me. "Do you want a pillow for your back?"

I shook my head. "No you can have both. I can sit at the edge of the bed."

I sat down at the foot of the bed and hunched over my datapad. "I'm looking at feed from quadrant J25." I looked over to Den wanting to make sure we were all looking at different feeds. "What are you looking at?"

"H53." He turned to Magash.

"K47".

I nodded and returned to watching the datapad. This continued on for the next hour until I heard a soft snore coming from behind me. I looked over to see Den slumped over to the side and sleeping. "He's some help."

"I-Five," Magash called out. "Come here and look at this."

I stood and moved to the head of the bed and sat down next to her. "What is it? Is it our missing girl?"

She shook her head. "No, but she looks familiar. Do you recall where I might have seen her?"

She pointed at her datapad to the mass of sentients walking down a sidewalk, but it was obvious who she was referring to. It was the only human among a throng of greenish-brown skinned Phindians. I scrutinized the poor quality video trying to make out the woman's features. It definitely was not our missing woman, but she looked remarkably similar to another woman supposedly abducted from Svang. "That looks like Ksassa Lengrada, reported missing eight months ago."

Sacha heard our conversation and got up from her desk to take a look. On the way over to our position she gave Den a shake of his shoulder. He gave a surprised snort and he blinked his big dark eyes in confusion before he spotted the three of us staring at Magash's datapad. He hopped out of bed and strained to see around Sacha. "Did you find something?"

"I believe it is a woman reported missing eight months ago." Magash turned the datapad so Den could see who we were looking at. "I may be wrong."

Den gazed at the datapad. "Doubtful. You rarely make mistakes."

I was going to argue that to err is human, but then thought better of it. I may believe I am a fallible human, but I have to accept the fact that I'm not. If this woman's image is recorded in my droid brain, then my identification of her is most likely accurate. "What should we do?"

Sacha analyzed the live feed for a few more seconds before she straightened and walked back to her computer. "We need to contact her. I'll pull up a map of that quadrant and try to get a fix on her exact position."

Den turned to me. "I-Five and I will approach and question her."

Magash frowned as she watched the woman on her datapad. "She is not accompanied by anybody. If she was kidnapped why would she be allowed freedom of movement?"

I shrugged. "Perhaps she wasn't kidnapped but she left on her own accord. She is young. She may have decided to run off with a boyfriend." I went over to the room's closet and retrieved my coat and pulled it on. I don't use the coat for warmth as much as to conceal my blaster. "There is only one way to find out. We need to talk to her." I motioned to Den. "Let's get out there before she disappears. Sacha keep in comlink contact and let us know where she's going."

Magash stood and motioned for Den to sit down. "I think it is best if I-Five and I go together."

My brow rose slightly at her suggestion. "Why is that?"

She picked up her jacket from the end of the bed. "Having a strange male and Sullustan approach a lone woman may be intimidating. Women are less likely to be nervous if they are approached by a couple."

I smiled slightly. "A couple?"

Sacha turned away from her computer screen. "Two women might be even less intimidating. Maybe it would be better if Magash and I went together to talk to her."

I shook my head. "No, that might be too much of a temptation to slavers. I think Magash is right. This woman is less likely to get spooked if approached by a couple."

Den gave a smirk. "Especially such a cute couple."

I gave Den a warning glare, but that just made him grin wider. He made a shooing motion towards me and Magash. "You two better get moving if you are going to catch her."

"I'm sending you a map of the area to your datapads and I will update you on her position," Sacha said. "I also used an online app to call you an airtaxi. It should be here any minute."

Magash pulled on her jacket and secured a small blaster in an interior pocket. "Are you ready to pretend to be my paramour?"

I heard Den muffle a chuckle, but I ignored him as a huge smile crossed my face. "I am more than ready."


	6. Chapter 6

**_Entry 14_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

We rushed downstairs and caught our airtaxi. A blurry Phindian driver turned to us and said in broken basic, "Where to?"

I put my comlink near my face and whispered. "Do you have a place for us to go Sacha?"

"Tenth and Highroad Avenue," she responded.

I gave the driver the destination and turned to Magash. "Let's slave our wireless earpieces to my comlink. This way we can both hear what Sacha says and it won't be so conspicuous when we talk to her."

Magash nodded as she pulled a small earbud out of her jacket pocket and keyed it to my comlink frequency. I did the same and pushed the device into my ear. It is noticeable, but everybody has them nowadays. I did a communications check with Sacha to ensure everything was working properly.

"Sacha, you do have a location of the woman?"

In my ear I heard her reply. "She heading toward the location I gave you. She is still about two blocks away. When you get to the intersection walk south and you should intercept her. She's on the east side of the street."

"Got it." I broke contact and turned to Magash. "Did you hear that?"

She nodded. "As we make our approach let me initiate conversation. I believe she will be less intimidated that way and if she is monitored another woman approaching might not trigger an alarm."

"Okay," I whispered as the gravity of the situation began to sink in. "What happens if she tells us she's in jeopardy? What if she's being monitored? Some slavers put explosives in their captives' body for remote detonation. That might explain why she is moving around free."

"That is a concern." Magash turned to me and smiled slightly. "But I have confidence that together we can handle any situation thrown our way. We make a good team."

I felt my face warm at that compliment. I wasn't sure if she was talking about just the two of us or our entire group. Before I could get a clarification the air speeder swooped down to the surface street and landed with a jolt. The dour faced Phindian turned towards us. "Ten credits."

We handed him the proper amount of credit chips and exited the vehicle. I touched my earpiece activating the small microphone. "Sacha, we are heading south."

"We see you in the live feed. She is heading your way. You should see her soon."

The sidewalk wasn't too crowded in his area and within minutes we spotted the human female strolling about and window-shopping. When she was almost upon us Magash broke away from me and put on the most amazing performance. She made a very out of character girlish squeal of delight as she waved to the woman enthusiastically. "Ksassa!" she shouted as she quickly approached the lady. "I haven't seen you since you left Svang. How are you?"

By now I have caught up with the two. The woman looked positively confused. "You have me mixed up with somebody else. My name is Genna Tova."

Magash's hand flew up to her mouth to muffle a fake gasp of embarrassment. "I am so sorry. You two could be twins." She reached back towards me and locked her arm in mine as she pulled me next to her. "Honey doesn't she look exactly like Ksassa Lengrada?"

I looked the woman over, memorizing ever mole and blemish. It was then I saw a small portion of a tattoo peaking out from under her sleeve. It was exactly like the one listed in the missing person announcement. I was sure this was our woman. "You could be sisters," I remarked. "Are you related to the Lengrada family?"

The woman started to look a bit uncomfortable, but not more than any person would when accosted by two strangers. She shook her head. "No, I don't know any people with the surname Lengrada."

I turned to Magash. I assume she is trying to sense deception or apprehension from the woman using the Force. My Zabrak friend smiled apologetically. "I'm so sorry. I haven't seen her in months and I got all excited."

The dark haired woman smiled back warily. "No problem. Enjoy your day." She walked past us and continued down the street.

Magash pushed the earpiece button to talk to Sacha. "She claims she is not the woman and I felt no deception from her."

I unlinked my arm from Magash's and activated my microphone. "She was lying. She has three distinctive identifying features of the missing woman. A tattoo of a bird, a slight scar over the right eyebrow and a small mole on her neck. I am certain she is Miss Lengrada."

There was a slight pause before Sacha spoke. "Follow her. Den and I will keep an eye on her movements using the surveillance vids. Let's see where she goes."

Magash and I followed her for the next hour. We walked arm-in-arm trying to play the part of two young lovers out for a stroll. I must admit I like this part of undercover work. I truly enjoy her company.

We stayed far enough away so not to be noticed. When she went into a bakery Magash and I stopped and pretended to be fascinated with a jewelry store window display. A soft smile crossed my lips as I gazed at the diamond and jewel encrusted necklaces. "Do you see anything you like?"

Her lips pinched together before she shook her head. "Jewelry is worn by my clan members, but it is almost always symbolic. We don't wear expensive trinkets to flaunt wealth." She glanced over to me. "If a clan sister defeats a deadly predator such as a Saurian or a great dragon they will make a necklace from the teeth of the beast. It is a testimony to their hunting skills and bravery."

I should have known Dathomiri women wouldn't wear anything frivolous. "The men don't make jewelry to impress the ladies in your clan?"

Magash gave me the most incredulous look I have ever seen her make. "Men do not woo women in my culture. Women select breeding males. Once they fulfill their reproductive duties they are sent back to the fields to work."

"Oh." I turned my attention back to jewelry display not knowing how to respond to that comment.

Magash raised and eyebrow questioningly. "You do not approve of the way we treat males?"

I shrugged. "It is not my place to judge a foreign culture." She gave a noncommittal nod of the head before she turned to keep an eye on the bakery. I became curious if her opinions of males had changed in the months since she left her planet. I was especially interested in her feelings about me. "Magash, can I ask you a personal question?"

"Of course."

I hesitated for a moment trying to find the correct words. "Do you see me as a human male?"

I was a little disappointed she made a scoffing noise. "No, of course not."

"Oh…" My eyes dropped as a sickening feeling crept into my belly…or whatever is in my abdominal cavity. Once again I cursed my fate. I was a droid capable of feeling very real human emotions…and I was fairly sure what I was experiencing now was sadness and heartbreak.

Magash must have noticed the wounded look on my face. Worry darkened her expression as she put a hand on my shoulder. "Why do my words distress you?"

I let loose a breath that was half frustration, half disbelief. "You just told me you don't view me as a real person. Why wouldn't that bother me?"

She cocked her head to the side looking completely befuddled. She stared at me for a long moment before eyes went wide with a spark of comprehension. "Oh," she said before laughing. "You misunderstood my meaning. You asked me if I viewed you as a human male. In my culture males are inferior." She gave my shoulder a squeeze. "You are not inferior. You are my equal. Your question should have been  _'do I view you as sentient and as a friend'_. The answer to that question is yes."

The knot in my abdomen loosened as an embarrassed smile danced across my face. "Thank you." At that moment I saw our enigmatic female leave the bakery and continue down the street. "Our target is on the move."

Magash dropped her hand from my shoulder and wove it around my arm as we continued our walk.

There was an awkward silence before Magash cleared her throat. "I hope I did not offend you."

"No, not at all." I glanced over to her. "How about Jax? Do you see him as inferior?"

"Jax is a Jedi. That is similar to a male witch. I was impressed with him from the day we met. I would not have left my people to train with somebody I did not respect. As for other men...my feelings about human males are changing, but you cannot completely wipe away decades of cultural teachings in such a short time." I saw a change in her mood to one more somber. "But my views are changing. I do not think I can return to Dathomir and embrace our culture of misandry. I want what Sacha has. She is bonded to a male that is her equal. I will not find that on Dathomir." She drew in a deep breath and blew it out in frustration. "Unfortunately, my clan expects me to find a mate from within the clan breeding males. Maybe one day I will return to Dathomir to breed. I am approaching my prime reproductive age."

I could feel my cheeks heat up. That was more information that I ever expected from my usually stoic friend. Perhaps because I am a droid she finds it easier to talk to me. "What would you do then? Stay on Dathomir?"

"I believe I would become bored on my planet. I would leave after conception." She gave me a curious look. "Perhaps you can go with me when the time comes and help me select a mate with the proper physical and mental attributes."

I tried to mask my surprised scoff as a cough, which probably wasn't the best disguise since I doubt human replica droids cough. "Excuse me?"

She gave me a furtive glance before she focused back on the woman we were following. "I apologize. That is probably a role best performed by another female."

I heaved a sigh. "Probably. I don't believe I have the capability of selecting a suitable breeding partner for you." I tried to make my words sound upbeat, but there was an unmistakable dejected tone in my voice. I know it is ridiculous for me to feel jealous. I can't father children. I can't be anything to Magash but a friend. I hate these very human emotions. I feel like a man trapped in a droid's body. I hate this. I truly hope my brain self-repairs and I can once-and-for-all stop craving things that I can't have.

"She turned into a residential area." Magash's words mercifully pulled me out of my dismal musings. I looked up the road and saw the woman heading down a street lined with townhouses. As the woman neared one house a man outside gardening stood and greeted her lovingly. He gave her a tender kiss and hug before they walked up the stairs to their little townhouse, closing the door behind them.

Magash and I continued past the home and went around the block so we could communicate our observations to Den and Sacha.

Magash activated her earpiece comlink. "We've recorded the location of her home. She doesn't appear under any duress and I could sense in the Force that she believes she is who she says she is."

"Could it be amnesia?" I asked.

I heard Den speak up on my earpiece. "If she had an accident and doesn't remember who she was, she might have just wandered away from Svang."

"Possibly." I glanced over to Magash. "Did you feel any reaction from her when you mentioned Ksassa's name?"

"The surprise I felt could be the result of having two strangers approach her. She absolutely believes her name is Gena Tova."

"Come on back to the hotel," Den interrupted. "Jax sent us some surveillance video of the hotel in Svang where Magash was attacked. He found something interesting."

I put my finger to my earpiece. "We'll walk back to the main part of the city and flag down an air taxi. We'll be back soon." I keyed off the comlink and then turned to my friend. "Shall we go?" I offered Magash my arm, and despite the fact there was no longer a need to continue the young lover façade, I was greatly please when she accepted.

I guess _'Just friends'_  isn't so bad.

.

.

**_Entry 15_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

It took us about fifteen minutes to get back to the hotel. Inside we found Sacha and Den analyzing more security vid feeds.

Magash and I looked over their shoulders to the monitor. "Did Jax send that footage?"

Sacha gazed up from where she sat. "Yes, he tried to get the security recordings from the hotel we stayed in at Svang by bribing a maintenance worker, but it turns out the footage is gone. He doesn't know if the police confiscated the security recordings after Magash's attempted abduction, they never existed, or somebody at the hotel destroyed them."

I pointed to the screen. "So what are we watching?"

"This is the security feed from the building across the street. It is a liquor store that has had multiple robberies in the past. They have cameras everywhere and one security imager was pointed at the side entrance of the hotel. Jax paid the store owner for holovid footage during the time Sondra Soren was kidnapped and this is what he found."

She pointed at the screen showing a nighttime shot of the hotel. The recording wasn't of the best quality due to the low light, with only the few areas illuminated by building lights or street lamps. As we watched I noticed movement at the hotel side entrance. Two human men came out the lodge carrying a large duffle bag. A third man opened the trunk of a speeder parked in the alley. The two males struggled with their obviously heavy and cumbersome bag before they finally managed to get it into the trunk of the speeder. The third man moved the bag around a bit before he closed the lid. He then shook hands with the other two men before he jumped into the speeder and took off.

Den looked to me. "We think Sondra might have been in that bag."

I nodded. "Somebody was definitely in the bag."

Sacha turned in her seat and eyed me curiously. "Why do you say that?"

I leaned over her shoulder to the computer keyboard and reversed the feed to the point where the two men had lifted the bag into the trunk. "Look at this end of the bag." I pointed to the man on the right. "He keeps readjusting his hands as if struggling to keep whatever was inside still."

Sacha leaned closer to her monitor and frowned. "I don't see anything."

"Really?" I was surprised, but I guess this was simply another indication that I was a droid—I was able to discern minuscule movement in a grainy vid. "Okay, wait until the bag is in the trunk. Look at the third man. It looks like he is rearranging the bag but he isn't. He is pushing it down…after it rose up." I flagged the first and last frame of the vid feed I was interested in and put it in a loop. "The bag goes into the trunk, then the left side of the bag lifts up slightly. His apparent adjustment of the bag is him actually pushing the duffle down before shutting the lid."

"I see the movement," Magash whispered before giving me a wide smile. "Your eyes are good. I would not have caught that small movement if you did not point it out."

I don't know why I always feel embarrassed when complimented by Magash but I do. I gave her a sheepish grin. "Thanks."

Sacha sat back in her seat. "If it's Sondra inside the duffle bag, then there are only two places for them to go. She could still be in Svang and in that case hopefully Jax and Norro will find her or she was brought here. There is only one road through the forest from Svang and that leads here to Laressa. I just need to get the recordings for the twelve or so hours after this speeder left the alley and we should be able to figure out if it travelled here." She grabbed a cup of caf off the desk and took a sip. "This is going to be a long night."

We left Sacha to her slicing as Den questioned Magash and me about our run in with Ksassa also known as Genna Tova.

"Are you sure Genna is really Ksassa the woman that went missing almost a year ago?"

I gave a nod. "Her features are the same, she has the same tattoo and matching moles. If it is not her, then it is her clone."

"That's so strange." He sat on the edge of his bed and picked up his datapad and started to view the live surveillance data. "I might as well get back to work." When Magash excused herself to use the 'fresher Den waved me over and whispered, "I see you and our lovely Zabrak friend were getting along extremely well while on your little undercover mission."

I sat down next to him and elbowed his side. "Knock it off. We're just friends." I kept my voice as low as possible so Sacha couldn't hear.

Den gave me an evil grin. "But you would like to be more than friends."

I believe Den was simply trying to have friendly banter, but his question triggered a despondent feeling within me. "That's the problem. I can't be more to her. It doesn't matter what I want. I am not an organic. I cannot be anything to her but a friend." I blew out a frustrated breath. "We've discussed this before. Why do you keep bringing up a possibility that absolutely cannot be?"

Den leaned in closer, speaking in hushed tones. "You don't know what you can or can't be until you try. You are a good friend and you have the ability to perform…umm…let's just say…romantically if the situation arose."

I felt a blush creep over my face. I was told this was actually warm reddish hydraulic fluid suffused through a thin membrane under my cheeks in order to mimic embarrassment. That may be, but emotionally I wasn't mimicking anything. I was extremely discomfited by this conversation. "How would you know that?"

Den shrugged. "I read the owner's manual for your HRD model. This body was designed for spying and sometimes seduction is a key component of infiltration."

I groaned as I dropped my head into my hands. "Please don't talk about a droid having sex. Even I find that disgusting and if Magash heard about this conversation she would have our heads."

"I'm not necessarily talking about her. I'm just saying if you had a relationship with a woman, any woman, the only function you cannot perform is fathering a child. You shouldn't put limitations on yourself. And I'm not encouraging you to try to have sex with anybody. I'm just saying…well, don't rule out the possibility of being able to be a true companion to a woman."

I left my head cradled in my palms, not wanting to look Den in the eye. I assume my feelings of embarrassment were similar to a teenager getting a sex talk from his father. It may be informative but also exceedingly awkward and humiliating. "I refuse to discuss this topic while I am still having memory problems. What if I wake up tomorrow feeling like a droid once again—a droid who is no longer attracted to organic sentients? I cannot entertain your suggestion until my memory is back and I no longer think of myself as a man. So, please stop talking about sex."

I must have said that louder than I intended because Sacha turned from her computer monitor and said, "Who's having sex?"

I kept my head down and groaned softly while wishing the ground would open up and swallow me whole.

"It is nothing about you," Den assured Sacha.

I didn't look in Sacha's direction, but I could hear the smile in her voice. "Who then? Magash?"

I jumped when a voice sounded out behind me. "What about me?" I looked up to see Magash leaving the 'fresher.

"Nothing!" I said a bit too loud and with obvious panic in my voice. "We're not talking about you or Sacha. We're just talking. Can't two guys talk without people butting in on our conversations?"

Magash's eyes narrowed slightly. "It was not my intent to infringe on your conversation."

I rubbed a hand over my face. "I'm sorry. It's just…Den likes teasing me and I am having difficulty deflecting his barbs. Prior to my memory problems I assume I effortlessly disregarded all of his gibes…but now…I find it problematic if not impossible to do so."

Magash walked over to Den and gave him a playful smack to the back of his head. "Leave my friend alone or I will cast a Dathomiri vexation spell on you."

Den frowned. "And what is that?"

Magash grinned. "It is a spell to give you the smallest bladder and the rustiest zipper."

Den chuckled. "I see you are picking up some of I-Five's cutting humor."

She turned to me, her mouth relaxing into a sensual smile. "I can learn much from such a man." She picked up her datapad from the dresser before hopping onto the bed and sitting cross-legged. She turned on the device and began examining live feeds.

My eyes widened at her comment, not knowing how to interpret her words. I turned to Den who had a scat-eating grin on his face. I shook my head not wanting to deal with his goading and walked over to Sacha who continued her efforts to slice into the archived security vids. "Did Jax say anything else about his mission."

She turned to me with an amused look in her eyes. "He said while they were socializing with some of the local workers a group of young miners dared Norro to eat a Nitrox Pepper and wash it down with an non-alcoholic drink called a Lava jet. Apparently both the pepper and the drink burn going down and it feels like you are pissing fire and defecating magma when it's coming out. Jax said Norro has been camped out in the 'fresher for the last few hours moaning and insisting he didn't feel this bad when he was reduced to eating rancid vermin on Despayre." She turned back to her monitor. "You guys should get some sleep. This may take most of the night."

"I'll pull guard duty." My offer was pragmatic. I don't need sleep.

After all, I'm only a lifeless droid…I think. To be honest, I am not sure what I am anymore.


	7. Chapter 7

**_Entry 16_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

I stood at the window most of the night gazing at the streets below, watching Phindians and an occasional human stroll down the illuminated sidewalks. When all the restaurants and cantinas closed and the traffic outside trickled down almost nothing, I went back to watching the live feeds from across the city.

Sacha was still awake and trying to slice into the archived security vids. Her eyelids were droopy and more than once I saw her head bob as she drifted off to sleep before the the jolting movement abruptly awoke her.

"Why don't you take a break Sacha? Staying up this late can't be good for the baby."

She turned in her seat and gazed up at me looking dead tired. "I'm close. I know it. Give me another hour and then I'll get some rest." She waved me over. "Talk to me. It'll help me stay awake."

"Okay." I sat down at the edge of the bed closest to her. It was occupied by Den who grunted and rolled over when my weight shifted the bedsprings. I smiled at Sacha. "What do you want to talk about?"

She gave a delicate shrug of her shoulder. "It doesn't matter. Tell me how you are feeling lately. Do you still have false memories?"

I let out a sigh. "I do. I still recall growing up as a human. I know I am a droid. There is no getting around the fact that I don't have normal human biological functions. I can't fool myself into accepting the falsehood that I am human. My brain knows the truth, but my emotions give me conflicting data."

Sacha typed in a sequence of commands before she turned to me. "You do know all of us see you as something more than a droid. You are a sentient. It doesn't matter what your body is made of."

I nodded. "I know."

She concentrated on her monitor as she typed a few more lines of code. Her work was interrupted when she suddenly grabbed her belly while making a gasping noise.

"What is it Sacha? Is there a problem with the baby?"

She took a few deep breaths as she pressed her hands to her small baby bump. She turned to me and smiled. "I think I felt the baby move."

My rudimentary understanding of human gestation allowed me to determine this was a good thing. "That's wonderful. Is this the first time you felt the baby? You are approximately twenty-three weeks along, correct?"

She nodded while grinning wildly. "Yes. This is the first time I felt the baby kick." She reached out and grabbed my hand and pressed it to her abdomen. "Can you feel him move?"

I quietly waited for some indication of life and I was not disappointed. It felt like something kicked my hand. I grinned like a proud soon-to-be uncle. "He's strong. It is a male, correct?"

She nodded. "According to Jax. He saw a son in a vision. We haven't been able to confirm the sex of the baby medically though." She put both of her hands on her belly, closed her eyes and concentrated. "I think it is a boy."

I smiled widely. "I am glad you and Jax are together and creating a family. I believe this baby will bring you great joy."

"I do too." She turned back to her monitor and continued typing. After a few minutes she let out a whispered announcement of triumph. "I did it!"

"You sliced into the archives." I stood and leaned over her shoulder. "Show me what to do and I will examine the recordings while you get some sleep."

It looked like she was going to object, but decided against it when exhaustion began to take its toll. "That sounds great."

She showed me how to do an archival search before she went to the next bed, stretched out next to Magash, and quickly fell asleep. I sat down and began watching vids from the time the suspicious speeder left Svang. It was going to be a long night. Luckily I don't need sleep. For once in recent memory I am glad to be a droid.

.

.

**_Entry 17_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

The surveillance data proved the land speeder did depart from Svang and travelled to Laressa. The vehicle entered the capital city and traversed a number of streets. I had to locate the appropriate holocam view every time it maneuvered down a different avenue. Eventually the speeder turned into an underground parking garage for a medical facility. That had me extremely worried. We assumed the women were part of a slave trade, but what if they were victims of an organ harvesting syndicate? That was a horrifying thought.

The speeder was only at the facility for approximately twenty minutes before it departed the parking area and travelled to a docking bay. I watched as the driver and a woman exited the vehicle and walked up to a freighter. I examined the features of the woman and realized this wasn't Sondra Soren, but she did look familiar. I searched my memory and realized this was another woman who went missing approximately two months prior to Sondra's abduction.

"Alexa Kendet," I whispered to myself. I was happy to see the woman alive, realizing organ harvesting probably wasn't the purpose for the kidnappings. I zoomed in to the identification marking of the ship and recorded the time and date of the vid. It shouldn't be hard for Sacha to slice into loading bay information and identify the owner of the ship, where it came from and where it was going.

I observed the woman happily chatting with her companion and later to the ship captain who met the couple at the bottom of the boarding ramp. To my eyes, her actions were not of a woman kidnapped or under any duress. She looked happy as she laughed at something her companion said. This mystery was getting stranger and stranger every day.

When the woman and the captain disappeared into the ship the man from Svang got back in his speeder and drove off. I watched his movement until he returned to the lone road returning to Svang.

At that point I decided to check the archived video for the day Alexa Kendet disappeared. If I remembered correctly she was not taken from Svang but from a manufacturing center on the other side of the planet. Both speeder and ship could reach that town, therefore my best bet was to watch the medical complex for any after-hour deliveries and then backtrack and figure out where the vehicle originated.

I watched hours of nighttime holos of the building until a speeder finally arrived and drove into the underground complex. I watched for another hour until the speeder left the building and once again drove to the docking bay. I wasn't surprised to see the vehicle park next to the same freighter. This time a different man exited the speeder and another woman accompanied him. I was shocked to recognize the female.

"Jenna Onnus," I whispered. It was a woman reported missing three months before Alexa Kendet's disappearance.

I jumped when I felt a hand touch my shoulder and I made a very undroid-like gasp of surprise. I turned to Magash who was looking over my shoulder. She grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

I chuckled. "I guess I was a bit preoccupied."

"Did you find anything?"

"I have found something…and I think it is something big." I pointed to the woman on the screen. "That is Jenna Onnus, reported missing months ago. She came out of a Medical clinic that appears to be the center of our mystery. The speeder that left Svang travelled to that particular medical facility. It left with a woman named Alexa Kendet that was reported missing a couple months before Sondra Soren. I backtracked to the date Alexa disappeared and I saw a speeder make a late-night visit to the medical building and when the speeder left it was carrying the woman you see on the screen."

Magash leaned over my shoulder to get a closer look at the lady. She was close enough for me to smell the sweet aroma of her shampoo. Her hand remained on my shoulder and the warmth of her palm somehow sent shivers down my spine. This woman was driving me crazy. I stood, quickly breaking contact, and offered Magash my seat. "Go ahead and sit down."

I was hoping to calm my obviously overactive arousal programing, but from where I now stood I was able to see down Magash's nightshirt. I took a deep breath and stepped back until my line of sight no longer offered me such a spectacular view.

She turned to me, her brow creased in concentration. "What type of medical facility is it?"

"I don't know yet. The sign simply said  _'Drogan Medical Building'_. It should be easy enough to look up on the holonet."

She nodded before her gaze returned to the screen. "Do you think our women are being held there until they are sold?"

I thought about it for a moment. "I don't know. Look at her." I pointed to Jenna Onnus who was shaking hands with the same ship captain I observed earlier with Alexa. "She doesn't look like a woman who's been kidnapped."

Magash ran a finger over one of her cranial horns. It was a gesture she did when in deep thought. "On Dathomir the Nightwitches sometimes would kidnap female children and raise them as their own. They would put a spell on the child so she would forget her true mother. This way they would not be tempted to run away."

"You think these women had their memories altered?"

"It is possible. I doubt Nightwitches are involved, but I am sure there is technology that would allow such a thing to happen." She turned in her seat and gave me a sideward glance. "It has happened to you by accident."

I chuckled. "True, but I'm not human."

"Den told me about the soldiers in the Clone Wars. They had memories introduced into their brains, did they not?"

I nodded slowly. "It is called flash-training. But in the case of the clones they had a clean slate to work with. These women have at least two decades of recollections that would counter any attempt to alter their memories."

"Ahh." She stood and gestured toward the seat. "I am sure you will solve this mystery. You are the most intelligent person I have ever met."

I scoffed derisively. "I may be intelligent, I'm not a person."

I startled when her hands reached up and gently grasped my shoulders. She looked me straight in the eyes, practically glaring. "Do not say that again. You are my friend. You are a person. I realize self-pity is a very human trait, but it is not an attractive one." She leaned in and gave me a friendly hug that got something inside my chest beating frantically. I jumped when I felt her breath caress my ear as she whispered, "I can feel you through the Force. I can sense your feelings, desires, and emotions. You are very much a person." She then gave me a platonic kiss on the cheek before she backed away and disappeared into the 'fresher.

I stood there slack jawed and frozen in place.  _'She can sense my desires?'_ I knew Force-users could do that, but I didn't think my feeble Force signature could be read.

I wasn't sure why she decided to reveal that information to me, but I was now embarrassed beyond mortification. I dropped back into the seat and pretended to be deep in concentration when she exited the 'fresher and climbed into bed. I wish I could learn how to clamp down on my feelings like a Jax can, but I'm no Jedi.

A slow grin crossed by face. I'm no Jedi, but it appears  _I am_  a person.

.

.

**_Entry 18_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

In the morning I showed my companions what I accomplished while they slept. All-in-all I found four missing women tied to the medical facility: Sondra Soren (if she truly was the person in the large duffle bag), Alexa Kendet, Jenna Onnus and another woman I located later that night named Bryssa Lorkan. I am not sure if Ksassa Lengrada, who we spotted shopping in town, was part of this conspiracy, but she makes the number of discovered missing women up to five.

Sacha immediately got on the computer and began slicing into the docking bay records. She was looking for the registry information on the freighter the women boarded and a cargo and passenger manifest.

"This is odd." Sacha motioned for us to come to her desk. "The freighter has a standard crew and on the days the women boarded the ship there was only one female passenger listed on the flight documents…but none of the names correspond with our missing women…so they are obviously using aliases. Alexa Kendet is listed as Milta Travd. Jenna Onnus is Ora Korbert and Bryss Korkan is Assya Lidia."

Den walked back to his bed and grabbed his datapad and began inputting the names. "I'll see if I can come up with any information on these women in the public records."

Magash was also recording the names into her datapad. "What would you like me to do?" she asked Sacha.

"Look up the women's original names and find out the name of the police or private investigator searching for them." She turned around and gave Magash an apologetic look. "And see if there is any reward money for information on their whereabouts." She put her palms up in a contrite gesture. "I know that seems callous, but we do need money. We'll notify the authorities no matter what, but if they are going to give out money…we might as well be the ones to take it."

"How about me? What should I do," I asked.

Sacha chewed her bottom lip in thought. "Go on the holonet and try to figure out everything you can about that medical facility."

"Will do."

I have to admit I was a bit excited at the possibility of exposing a possible slave trade ring…but then I began to think of the publicity. We didn't want Jax or Sacha's face plastered all over the holonet. Darth Vader may have spared them once, but it is doubtful he would do so again. We would have to figure out a way to solve this case, cash in on available reward money, and avoid unnecessary media exposure.

_'This is not going to be easy.'_


	8. Chapter 8

**_Entry 19_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

Jax and Norro left Svang and returned to Laressa once we determined there was a high probability that Sondra Soren was at the medical facility in the capital city.

They met up with us at our hotel room where we were hard at work monitoring surveillance data and slicing into various computer systems. Jax was exceedingly happy to be back in Sacha's arms. Norro did not appear well. His skin color was pale and he groaned miserably as he held his hands protectively over his stomach.

I put a hand on his shoulder. "Are you still ill from your adventures in gastronomy?"

Norro moaned. "It feels like there's a monkey-lizard knife fight going on in my intestines."

I grimaced, feeling sorry for the boy. "It should pass soon. I did some research on the Nitrox Pepper you ate. Norpsaicin is the active ingredient and it is known to cause temporarily tissue inflammation. The mucosa of the stomach and intestines might experience debilitating damage if you ate a lot of them, but since you only ate one, you should be okay in a few days. It is recommended that you drink Nerf-Milk or Blue Milk. It helps neutralize the Norpsaicin."

"Thanks." Norro flopped down on the nearest bed and curled up into a fetal position. "I'll drink some milk once the Monkey-lizards take a break and stop trying to cut their way out of my body."

"You shouldn't take dares from other boys," Jax admonished the young man.

"But they double dared me," Norro clarified.

A wide grin crossed Jax's face. "Ohhhhh," he drew the word out. "That makes it perfectly alright then."

Norro rolled over so he was facing away from us. "Stop teasing me and just let me die in peace."

"You're not going to die. You may wish you were dead, but you are not going to expire over one hot pepper." Jax sat down on the edge of the bed and addressed the rest of us. "You said you found some information on our missing girl and some other women?"

Den walked over to a dresser and retrieved his datapad. "Sacha was able to slice into a number of governmental data archives. We discovered possibly five missing women. We say possibly because we haven't confirmed Sondra Soren was the person put in the trunk of the speeder." Den turned to Sacha who picked up where he left off.

"We are fairly certain of the identity of the other women." She looked over to me. "I-Five made the identification."

She didn't say it, but I know her unspoken words were,  _'And since he has a droid brain that can memorize ever detail of the missing persons' reports, I doubt he is mistaken.'_

"I also found a couple other interesting discoveries," Sacha continued. "The missing women were traveling under aliases…complete with official identification cards and travel documents provided to them by the Phindar Bureau of Consular Affairs. The Clone Wars created an influx of undocumented refugees to Phindar from various planets. Most of these people fled war torn areas with only the tunics on their backs. Phindar has been especially helpful in assisting foreigners get replacement documentation. And by helpful I mean they are incredibly lax when it comes to proof of identity. If you can get a couple people to vouch for you they will give you a new ID card. Obviously false identifications were acquired for these women."

Jax gave a nod of his head. "What was the other interesting discover?"

Sacha turned back to Den who pulled up a holonet site on his datapad. "I found a wedding announcement for one of the women in the news. This happened shortly after she was seen leaving Laressa. I couldn't find a full match on the other women, but on a hunch I inputted the first names only and found all four first names in an online matchmaker site. You have to be a member to actually see the photo of the girls…and becoming a member is costly…but the general descriptions of the women match the name. There were no last names listed on the holosite."

"Do you think this matchmaker site is a cover for a slave trade?" Jax asked.

Den shrugged. "To be honest. I have no idea what is going on. The women we saw seemed happy and not in distress."

"I have a theory on that," I interrupted. Everybody but Norro, who continued to moan softly, turned to me. "As you all know, Phindar was dominated by a brutal crime syndicate for decades until the Jedi liberated the planet. Probably half the population is inflicted with severe depression and suffers from extreme anxiety. The Drogan Medical Building is the center for Situational Stress Response Disorder Research." I paused for a moment to let that sink in. "Their therapy includes biofeedback and memory erasure."

Sacha's eyes went wide. "They erase memories? How?"

"From my research it appears they use a variety of techniques to include drug-induced amnesia or destruction of neurons. Often the patient has false memories implanted into their psyche to fill in blank spots. That was introduced when it was discovered that having large chunks of missing time—albeit a time of horrible trauma—was traumatic in itself."

Den shook his head in dismay. "Can a person's entire life get rewired?"

"I don't know."

Jax ran a hand through his dark hair in thought. "It doesn't matter. We were hired to find Sondra. I am fairly certain she is in the building. We can tell her father where she is located and let the local authorities raid the place and rescue her."

"That won't work." We all turned to Norro who flipped over on the bed to look at us. "I think that would be a mistake."

Jax's brows furrowed. "And why do you say that?"

Norro sat up with a groan. "I know I'm just a kid and you're a Jedi, but I grew up with criminals and on Despayre they liked to talk. Everybody was what we would call a jailhouse lawyer. They would brag about how they got away with crime, they'd complain about how they got caught, they'd explain the laws and procedures the police have to abide by and how a criminal can make the law turn a blind eye. This whole situation smells of police corruption."

Den made a confused gesture with his hands. "Why do you say that?"

Norro chuckled. "Because we found five missing women in a few days. The police should have found them just as easily. They are walking around in public. They have their image printed in marriage announcements. How can the police not be involved?"

I have to admit, that does make sense. "So what do you suggest?"

The boy rubbed a hand over his stomach and flinched as an ominous gurgle came from his abdomen. "If you can't trust the local law enforcement it is best that we get the father of the missing girl to contact Imperial authorities."

Jax shook his head adamantly. "Oh no. Remember we want to avoid Imperials."

"We'll be gone by then." Norro gasped as his stomach grumbled a protest. "But to get the Imperials involved we will have to have solid proof that Sondra is in the building. We need to get an imager into the building and record a holo of her."

"Easier said than done," Magash pointed out.

"Yeah, I know." He dropped back down on the bed. "I have a question about the Phindar Bureau of Consular Affairs."

"What?" Sacha asked.

"Can I get an identification? I have no official record. Can we ask for a replacement identification for me?"

Jax nodded. "That sounds good. Sacha, Den and I were in the Republic system, so we can't chance getting new identifications, but there is no reason Norro couldn't." He turned to Magash and me. "Magash is probably not in any database and I-Five could pass as human. We can get identification documentation for you three."

"Me?" I was surprised by the comment but it makes sense if I decide to remain in my HRD body. "What name would I use?"

Jax smiled. "Any name you want."

Norro looked to Jax. "I want to be Norro Pavan."

Jax's smile grew wider. "I think that would be perfect."

"I would like to be a Pavan also," I said softly. "I was raised…or created by Lorn Pavan." I looked to Jax. "And I see myself as your brother."

Jax looked a bit choked up. "I would be honored." He turned to Magash. "I guess your name would be safe to use. Magash Drashi."

She nodded. "Perhaps. I may wish to use an alias. I will think about it."

"Hey," Norro exclaimed. "You can be a Pavan also."

Her brow knitted in confusion. "I do not have a family resemblance."

"You can pose as I-Five's spouse. Missus Magash Drashi Pavan wife of I-Five Pavan."

I inwardly groaned at the teen's suggestion. It is bad enough that Den teases me, but now I have to endure taunts from a teenage boy that hasn't learned to keep his playful thoughts to himself or toxic peppers out of his mouth.

Magash shook her head. "That will not do."

I remained silent, refusing to be drawn into this uncomfortable conversation, but Norro asked the question I wanted answered. "Why not?" He gave a devious grin. "You two make a good couple."

Magash gave Norro a dismissive gesture. "I-Five is not a suitable first name for a human male." She turned to me questioningly. "Don't you agree?"

_What? Her only objection to that absurd suggestion is my name?_

"I…um…you're right. I-Five is not a practical first name. I will think of something suitable." I quickly changed the subject. "I suppose we should schedule an appointment to the Consular's office and in the meantime we need to figure out how to confirm Sondra is inside the building."

That should occupy the group for a while. In the mean time I need to think of an appropriate given name.

.

.

**_Entry 20_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

We discussed different ways to recon the Drogan Medical Building. Sacha wanted to make a consultation appointment for one of us and hopefully we'd get a chance to look around while in the building. I truly doubt any nefarious activities would be apparent in any easily accessible area of the building, but we could use the visit to eliminate areas to search if we did discover a way to sneak into the building.

Sacha pulled up the construction plans from the local Building and Zoning Management Department and realized the medical center was built like a fortress with solid duracrete walls, blaster-proof windows and heavy security doors. That doesn't surprise me. Medical buildings usually have prescription drugs prized by addicts. They also have high priced multi-million credit medical machinery, computers and other valuables.

Sacha had been scrutinizing the design plans for the last hour, shaking her head and mumbling that this was hopeless. I went over to her desk and glanced over her shoulder. She looked up to me and frowned. "It is locked up tight."

I examined the floor plan of the three story building and was ready to concur with her assessment but then I noticed something. I pointed to the computer screen. "Is that a sewer access in the basement?"

She nodded. "I considered that possible ingress but I decided it wasn't doable."

I looked over the plans more carefully and saw what she was referring to. "The pipe leading to the building is small."

She nodded. "It is fifty centimeters in diameter, and the pipe has durasteel bars covering the area where the small pipe meets with the main sewer line."

I turned to Den who was sitting on the bed, leaning against the headboard, and analyzing something on his datapad. "Den, could you fit through a fifty centimeter pipe?"

"Doubtful." He patted his belly where he has a slight paunch. "I may be short, but I am just as wide as most adult humans."

I looked over to Norro perched on the corner of the bed. When we rescued the boy from the prison world of Despayre he was little more than a walking skeleton—emaciated and close to starvation. He has gained weight since he has been with us, but his once severely limited diet stunted his growth. He was short and still maintained a frightening low percentage of body fat. I estimate his height and weight to be 1.6 meters and 45 kilograms. He probably would fit, but I wasn't going to ask a boy to do such a dangerous mission.

Sacha frowned at the computer screen. "I think we need more information. One of us should try to get inside."

I raised a hand. "I'll go. I can pass as human, especially if I use some make-up to make my complexion less even."

Jax shook his head. "I don't know. That may seem suspicious. You don't look like a person traumatized. Also they may want to do a quick medical check up during the appointment. I know your insides are designed to mimic a human's anatomy, but I don't want you taking that risk."

Magash pushed off the wall she was leaning against and walked over to where Norro sat. "Norro has scars from when he was attacked by a virevol on Despayre." She sat down next to the boy. "I-Five and I could pose as his adopted parents. We can say he was a war orphan that was attacked by some unknown animal and he still suffers from flashbacks." She looked to me. "Do you think that would be a more believable story?"

I nodded. "I think so, especially if we get identifications with a common surname."

Jax didn't appear convinced. I looked to him questioningly. "You don't think it will work?"

"It's not that," Jax said slowly. "I just don't want to put a child into harm's way."

"I'm a teenager, not a child," Norro protested.

"They will simply be getting a consultation appointment," Sacha explained. "They don't have a criminal record and they are not wanted by the Imperials, so it is unlikely their presence in the building will trigger any face recognition software. The worse that could happen is they are asked to leave."

Jax shook his head. "What if the kidnappers are in the building? They may recognize Magash. She's the only Zabrak I have seen on the planet. She stands out."

Magash stood and came to stand by my side. "I am willing to take the risk." She looked over to Norro. "What about you?"

The young man thought about it for a few seconds before nodding in agreement.

"I highly doubt the kidnappers will be in a professional building," I remarked. "The women are secreted into the facility in the middle of the night. They have someone inside, but I would wager it is an employee who has never been to Svang."

Jax threw his hands up in a gesture of surrender. "I don't like it, but I don't see any other way to get inside."

"We should get our identification first." I gave Magash a sidelong glance. "Do you wish to be a Pavan…at least on the official records?"

I am used to her stoic façade, but this time a small smile graced her lips. "I do not mind being identified as part of a family…on the official records."

I grinned. "I guess we have some appointments to make."

.

.

**_Entry 21_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

The line to request replacement identification at the consulate office was extremely long. It was long enough that crowd control posts and ropes were positioned in the waiting area creating a maze of turns that we had to traverse to get to one of the two Phindians manning the counter.

"How can I assist," the green skinned Phindian said in a thick Basic accent as we finally approached her work space.

I put a hand around Magash's waist and smiled at the alien. "My wife, son and I wish to acquire replacement identification. We escaped the fighting on Biitu." I reached into my coat pocket and produced flimsiplast documents Sacha forged for us. They were made to look like a Biitu marriage certificate and adoption papers for Norro. Sacha also went as far as creating a student identification and library card for Norro. I also handed the worker three ID replacement applications. "We were robbed in transit and our official identification was stolen. Luckily these documents were in our luggage tucked away in the baggage compartment."

I am not sure what boredom on a Phindian looks like, but I am fairly certain she was tired of my story already. She picked up the paperwork and glanced them over. "Are these names correct? Magash Drashi Pavan, Norro Pavan and Fyve Pavan?"

"Yes," I said with my best fake smile. I know the given name of Fyve wasn't very original, especially since it is pronounced the same as Five, but I thought I should keep it simple. It was infinitely better than the list of names Norro had suggested which included Ron A. Muck, Ty Tass, Peter Pantz and U.P. Freehly. Since Norro is learning to read and write Basic I assume Den assisted him in compiling that particular list.

The Phindian looked at the three of us. "Will you vouch for each other that your names are as listed on the documentation provided?"

We all answered, "Yes".

She handed back my forged documents then typed something into her computer before directing us to a side room where a disgruntled employee captured our image and printed out three brand new identifications. They were embossed with the Phindian crest, but they also had an Imperial hologram pressed into the back of the card. It was identification accepted by all worlds in the new Empire. As we walked out of the consulate building I gazed at my identification card and new name: Fyve Pavan. I feel extremely proud to carry the surname of my old friend—and the man I considered a father—Lorn Pavan.


	9. Chapter 9

**_Entry 22_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

Sacha got Norro a consultation appointment later that week. We used the time to practice our story. We couldn't afford any slip ups. Magash and I were married on Biitu and adopted Norro a few years later from an orphanage packed with war refugees. He was a hard to place adoptee because of his age. He also had chronic anxiety and flashbacks from the time he was attacked by some sort of predatory cat.

Norro took on his new role with no problem. I, on the other hand, was having difficulties looking like a relaxed married man. Every time Magash touched me I had a tendency to startle. I wish I knew how to control my droid programming, but at this time that ability eludes me. Magash's solution was to spend the next few days practicing the body language and gestures of a married couple.

I did not know married people had their own language, but I am learning. For example, when I am asked a question while in the presence of Magash I was told I should always look to her before answering. According to Sacha married couples can communicate with each other with just a also volunteered to teach me certain gestures indicative of a married couple.

"Sit together on the edge of the bed," Den instructed us. Magash and I complied. Den made an expression of disapproval. "No, you are too far apart. You don't get that degree of separation until you hit your twentieth wedding anniversary. Sit closer."

Magash scooted over until she was pressed tightly against my thigh. Den scrutinized our positioning before he shook his head. "No, that is honeymoon close. Pull apart until you are a couple centimeters from each other." He walked over and picked up my hand closest to Magash. "And put your hand on her knee. If the doctors at the clinic say something that you deem as helpful you give Magash's leg a gentle squeeze and smile. If they say something upsetting, like they can't help you, give her knee a squeeze and look to her with a sad expression."

I lifted my hand to interrupt Den. "So the knee squeeze is a universal gesture for sadness and happiness?"

"Sort of," Den said. "It is a gesture of support. And remember to always glance over to Magash before making any statement that could be construed as a decision. I can't stress this enough. Always look to Magash before making a decision." He gestured toward us. "Let's practice. I'm the doctor." Den stood up straight and made a face that I assume represented someone of authority. "So, you would like us to treat your son for anxiety?"

I gently rested my hand on Magash's knee and gave it a soft squeeze before turning to her with a smile. After gazing into her mesmerizing green eyes for a few seconds, I turned back to Den. "Yes, yes we do."

Den crossed his arms across his chest, regarding us quietly. "Something's wrong."

"Make them kiss," came a suggestion from Norro who was sitting on the floor across from us playing a holonet game on his datapad. He put down the device long enough to grin at me. "He needs to loosen up."

I heard Jax and Sacha laugh softly as they pretended to be captivated by something on their computer screen.

I gave the boy a disapproving look. It appears Norro wants his fake parents to become a real couple. "Norro, I doubt there will be any circumstance where Magash and I will need to kiss while inside the medical facility."

The boy just shrugged and went back to his game.

"I know what's wrong," Den exclaimed. "You both are sitting up too straight. A couple has a tendency to lean slightly towards each other. They don't sit ramrod straight. Relax your posture."

I let my shoulders droop as I leaned toward Magash. I guess I leaned too much because Den walked up to me and repositioned my body. "You look like you fell asleep in a public transport and are using her shoulder for a headrest. Don't actually touch. Just lean in a couple of degrees." Magash and I did as we were told. Den nodded his approval. "Good, good…now kiss."

I shook my head and stood. "You are as bad as Norro."

Den laughed before giving Magash a wink. "He needs the practice. I think he's only kissed a woman once in his life."

Magash smiled. "He does not need practice. He is proficient in that particular skill."

Norro laughed out loud. "Five's the man!"

It is too bad I don't have an excuse to retreat to the 'fresher, because I had an incredible urge to leave the room. "If you excuse me I'm going to…" I hesitated. I was going to say,  _'Get some fresh air'_  or  _'Pick up something from the restaurant'_  but neither is something a droid would need. I decided to tell the truth. "I'm going to get away from Den and Norro for a moment before I say or do something I'll later regret."

As I walked out the door I heard Norro snicker, "Like not kissing when you had a chance."

I sighed deeply as the door shut behind me. It was a gesture of frustration supposedly programmedinto the HRD body. He's right though. I already regret not taking that kiss.

.

.

**_Entry 23_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

On the day of the reconnoiter mission, Sacha lent Magash one of her dresses and I squeezed into a borrowed pair of trousers and one of Jax's dress shirts. Norro wore shorts and a colorful tunic with the logo of the Corellian National smashball team embroidered above the breast pocket. We checked out our outfits in the hotel mirror and, all in all, I would say we looked like a normal family. Zabraks and humans often marry and facial tattoos are ubiquitous to Zabraks, not just Dathomiri witches.

"We look like a bunch of soft bellies," Norro complained.

"And what is a soft belly?" I asked while straightening my tunic.

"That's prison slang for a non-violent offender thrust into a high security prison with murderers and rapists."

"I assure you," Magash said sternly. "My belly is anything but soft."

I couldn't help but smirk at that statement because it is so true. A few times Magash wore outfits exposing her stomach and I couldn't help by notice her extremely toned abdominal muscles. I also have an excellent physique but in my case it is pliable foam positioned under my synthetic skin to give the illusion of an extremely muscular body. Or at least that is what my owner's manual says. It doesn't matter that the muscles are fake, my mechanical frame and hydraulics make me stronger than any human.

Norro laughed and grinned at Magash. "I'll take your word for it."

Den came up to us and handed out small transmitters we can clip to our clothing. "Stay in touch. If Magash gets one of her Jedi hunches that the situation is becoming dangerous—get out."

"I promise you I won't let anything happen to my wife and son." I grinned, liking the sound of that. I turned to Jax and Sacha who were adjusting their computer's transceiver to pick up our audio. "I guess we should go. We don't want to be late."

Sacha pointed to the computer. "I will try to stay in audio contact, but I have discovered some medical buildings use a signal jammer to protect their client's privacy. Don't count on us hearing you if you get in trouble."

"There won't be any trouble," I said confidently. I put out an elbow offering Magash my arm. "Shall we go?"

She wrapped an arm around mine. "I am, husband mine."

"Ack!" Den cringed. "That is the stupidest pet name I have ever heard. Don't call him husband."

"Ah." She turned to me. "We should go, Love."

I guess Norro didn't find that name any better. He groaned in disgust as we walked out the door.

.

.

**_Entry 24_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

We were greeted in the lobby of the Drogan Medical Building by a smiling Phindian female with light green skin and clothing that I assume is categorized as casual-smart on the planet. "Mister and Missus Pavan, it is a pleasure to meet you." She turned to Norro. "And this must be your son Norro. I know Doctor Rugan is looking forward to talking to you." She stood, her knobby hands gesturing us to follow her. "This way."

She led us into a room that consisted of an exam table and two cushioned chairs. I motioned for Norro to get on the table as Magash and I sat down. "Doctor Rugan will be in shortly," she said before exiting and closing the door behind her.

Norro looked a little nervous as he sat on the exam table-which is understandable. After he was rescued from Despayre he suffered through numerous doctor visits as they tried to rid him of an intestinal parasite. He also received dozens of immunizations and a trip to the dentist office.

"You don't think they are going to make me undress…in front of you two…do you?"

I was still a little irritated at the boy for his constant teasing and I thought a little payback was in order. "Probably. They can't do a rectal exam with your clothing on."

"What?" Norro looked to me and then to Magash who somehow maintained a straight face. "You'll leave if I have to get undressed…won't you?"

Magash shrugged. "I may need to assist the doctor in holding you down for your shots."

"Shots!"

"Or when the doctor inserts the catheter," I added.

Norro crossed his arms across his chest and sneered at us. "Now I know you are lying. I am here for anxiety not any condition needing a catheter or a rectal exam."

"Didn't you know when Sacha made the appointment she told the clinic you were a chronic bed wetter." I temporarily saw Magash's stoic expression falter at that comment.

"She also said you were constipated. You might be required to supply a stool sample," Magash added. Norro's eyes went wide as his jaw went slack. That was too much for Magash who burst out in laughter. It took her a few minutes to regain her composure. When she did she grinned at the boy. "I am sorry Norro, but if you continue to tease people, they will eventually tease you back."

He rolled his eyes and looked away, his face turning a nice shade of red. "Not funny!"

Magash looked to me. "I thought it was funny. Didn't you?"

"Extremely funny."

At that point the door opened and a tall, brown-skinned, Phindian doctor entered wearing a white smock and a wide smile. He stretched out his hand to us. "Mister and Missus Pavan. It's nice to meet you. I'm doctor Rugan." Magash and I stood and shook his hand before sitting back down. His attention then turned to Norro lounging on the exam table. "You must be Norro. I was told you are having nightmares and flashbacks from an attack you suffered."

Norro nodded then fell into his role of a traumatized orphan. "Yes. I was attacked by an animal." He turned to the side and lifted up the back of his tunic. "You can see the scars."

The doctor lifted Norro's shirt and frowned at the young man's back. Norro was actually too young to remember the virevol attack he suffered, but the evidence of his mauling was still apparent. Every centimeter of his back was covered in upraised keloid scars where the creature had nearly clawed him to death.

"Oh my," the doctor gasped. "I can see why the young man suffers from night terrors." He lowered the shirt and stared at Norro. "How often do you have these nightmares?"

Norro shrugged. "At least four or five times a week. I wake up shaking and covered with sweat. I can still remember the rancid smell of the cat's breath as he tried to eat me alive." He threw his arms out wide. "The creature was enormous with big teeth and claws as long as my hand."

I tried to signal Norro to stop extemporizing and overacting, but he ignored me. Luckily Magash is a quick thinker. "Norro please stop talking about the attack. You know how that triggers the night terrors. I think the doctor has enough information for now."

Norro stopped looking somewhat sheepish. "Sorry, you're right."

The doctor turned to us. "I saw in the admission application that Norro is adopted. I assume that means you have no knowledge of his family's medical history. Is that correct?"

I nodded.

The Phindian rubbed a hand over his chin in thought. "Other than the night terrors, have you noticed any disturbing behavior such as mood swings, hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, catatonia, depression, or mania?"

I shook my head. "No, just the normal teenage emotions."

"That in itself can be bad," the doctor said with a chuckle. "I believe Norro could benefit from treatment…but that is for you to decide. Do you want us to erase the memory of the attack?"

I was about to say yes, but remembered my training. I put my hand on Magash's knee, gave it a gentle squeeze as I gazed into her eyes. "What do you think?"

Magash regarded the doctor. "I have questions. I would like to see the equipment and learn more about the procedure. Also, do you treat many humans?"

"I'll be more than happy to show you our facility. It is a painless procedure and non-evasive. As for treating humans. We have treated two women in the last year or so. Both were abused as children. They wanted to leave behind their past and start fresh. We have a ninety percent success rate for both humans and other humanoid species." He opened the door and gestured toward the hallway. "If you follow me I will give you a glimpse of our facilities."

We followed him down the hall and stopped in front of a door closed. "We have a patient undergoing treatment in this room," the doctor said. "Because of privacy concerns I can't show you the device in use." He opened the door of a second chamber. Inside was a padded reclining seat with a bucket-shaped apparatus suspended above by a wall mounted mechanical arm. I assume the device is lowered onto a patient's head. The strange helmet-like contraption was attached to numerous sensors and readouts. "This is our second machine. It has a built in magnetic resonance imager to find the area where the offensive memory is stored. We will then use sound waves to eradicate specific neurons. We will put Norro into the MRI and have him think about the traumatic event allowing us to locate where those specific memories are located. It won't hurt a bit, young man." He turned and when he didn't see Norro he made a full circle looking for him. "Where'd he go?"

I poked my head out into the hallway and caught him leaving the other treatment room. He's a smart boy. He was trying to find out who was in the next room. I grabbed him by the tunic and made an effort of looking irritated. "Pay attention son. You're the patient. This should interest you."

Magash looked at the machinery, her brow furrowed. "Do you only have two machines?"

"Just two. We have another patient scheduled to check in today."

"Is your waiting list long?" I asked.

The doctor nodded his large head. "It is a long waiting list, but we have streamlined the procedure once we acquired these two new machines. We had only one apparatus previously and it took six times as long to treat a patient than it does with this equipment. What once took two months can now be completed in a little over a week."

"If you have such a long waiting list, why not use the third machine?" Magash asked.

The doctor shrugged his bony shoulders. "It gives inferior quality of care. We hauled it to the basement where it is collecting dust." He turned to Norro. "Do you have any questions?"

Norro's face scrunched up in an over-the-top expression of deep thought. "Yes. When you take away the memory of the attack is that just a blank part of my memory or do you replace that memory with something nice…like me dating a beautiful girl or something?"

The doctor chuckled. "I assume your attack was of a short duration…minutes and not hours or days. Depending on the recovery time and the amount of pain you endured after the attack, we might not have to erase much. I doubt you would notice any missing time. We insert memories only when we erase long term events such as child abuse. In that case we discuss with the patient what type of memory they would want inserted. It will be like the flash training done with clones. The inserted memories have to be designed not to cause the patient more distress or confusion. In your case you have scars to explain away. If we had to, we would probably put in a memory that this event happened when you were a toddler and you have no recollection of the attack."

"How long would I have to be here?" Norro asked.

The doctor gestured to the empty bed. "Usually it takes three or four days to determine the locations of the specific memories, two days for treatment and two days under observation during recovery." He looked to me and Magash. "If you want to set up an appointment you can see the personnel at the front desk. From what Norro says I would say he is a good candidate for neural therapy treatment."

I looked to Magash, giving her my mandatory married man's search for approval prior to talking. "I think we would like a day or two to consider this."

"I completely understand." The doctor ushered us out of the room and down the hallway. He opened the door leading to the lobby. "I'm glad to meet you Norro. Maybe I'll see you again."

We said our goodbyes and walked out of the building.

As we strolled down the sidewalk I turned Norro. "Was Sondra in the other room?"

He shook his head disappointed. "No, just some Phindian."

I blew out a breath. "I knew it couldn't be that easy."

"We learned much." Magash reached out and wrapped her arm around mine, pulling me close so she could whisper to me. "I believe somebody is using the outdated machine in the basement."

I gave a nod. "I think so too. We need to figure a way to get into the basement…but that may be impossible."

She glanced at me and smiled. "You will find a way. I have the utmost confidence in your abilities."

I wish I had her confidence.


	10. Chapter 10

**_Entry 25_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

After our recon we returned to the hotel where Sacha chastised us for teasing Norro.

"Did you really tell a young teen he was getting a rectal exam?"

I couldn't suppress a guilty grin. "From your remark I assume the audio signal was not blocked, therefore I will not deny that accusation." Sacha shook her head in disbelief, but I noticed Jax and Den appeared amused.

It was getting close to checkout time, and not wanting to pay for another night, we decided to leave the hotel and go back to the ship. If we needed to slice into the security vids at a later date we could rent another room in town or work from our rented speeder. That was fine with me. The hotel room was getting a bit too crowded in my opinion.

Once back to the ship we had to make a decision as to how to proceed. My friends and I sat around the ship's galley table sipping caf (with the exception of Norro who was drinking some sort of juice and of course I don't imbibe) and discussing our options.

"Sondra wasn't in either of the two available neural altering devices they use to erase memories." Magash emphasized. "She has to be in the basement. Someone must have hooked up the old machine and Sondra is in it now."

Jax drummed his fingers on the table top in thought. "Perhaps…but it is just as likely that the second bed was empty because she was removed. They may have assumed you would ask for a tour and she was hidden until you left the premises."

"That could be," I admitted. "But the place is so open and with dozens of staff members."

"I also did not sense any malicious thoughts coming from the doctor," Magash said. "Through the Force all I felt was compassion and helpfulness. I do not believe he has anything to do with the missing women."

"Everybody at the clinic appeared to be helpful and very caring people." I looked around the table. "I think Magash is correct. Somebody is using the older machine. And if what the doctor said is accurate, it takes about two months for that old machine to do its job. With the new machines it takes 4 days of analysis to determine where the target memories are located, 2 days for treatment and 2 days for recovery. If the old machine maintains the same ratios then it would take a month to do the analysis, two weeks for treatment and two weeks for recovery. Sondra has been missing for almost two weeks now, so that means there is a distinct possibility that we may find her during the analysis phase and we could actually stop them from erasing her memory."

Sacha put down her cup of caf as a dispirited expression crossed her face. "But how do we get in without getting caught? Jax has a bounty on his head so we can't afford any contact with law enforcement. Besides the place is built like a fortress. We'd have to blow a hole through a wall to get in and that is not very subtle."

Sacha was right. When the doctor escorted us to the treatment area I noticed security cams in the hallways and most rooms had a key swipe locking mechanism. "We don't need to break her out, we just need proof that she's inside. If we could get a holo-image of her then Sondra's father could take that evidence and contact the Imperials or perhaps the Phindian Investigation Bureau. We just need to get an imager inside. How about the basement sewer pipes? There are such things as sewer inspection imagers. It is basically a camera at the end of a cable which is snaked up the drain. Do we have anything like that?"

Jax shook his head. "We have some cameras with cable extensions but nothing long enough to do the job you're suggesting."

"How about an insect droid?" Den offered. "I have a couple Insect Mimic Message droids. They are usually used to pass on holographic images, but they can be altered to record images."

Sacha chewed her bottom lip in thought. "Those droids are made to deliver a message to a designated recipient who is generating a signal for the droid to home in on. That won't work unless we can get the homing device into the basement."

Den massaged his temples briefly. "I have a servo droid."

Sacha shook her head sadly. "They are programmed to clean. If you put it in a sewer you'll probably never see it again."

"We need to figure out a way to save this girl," I said adamantly with an edge of impatience. "We have to get into the basement."

Jax spread his hands wide. "There is nothing we can do other than tell Sondra's father what we suspect and hope the local police force isn't as corrupt as we believe and they actually investigate. I doubt any higher authorities will act without definitive proof."

My mouth took on a determined line. "If the police are corrupt we may be endangering her life. If the abductors feel threatened they could kill her and dispose of the evidence. Also the longer we wait the greater the possibility that the kidnappers will move on to the treatment phase and start erasing memories."

Jax's scrubbed a hand across his face in frustration. "I want to get the proper evidence to save Sondra, but we don't know how to get into the basement without setting off alarms and there is nobody small enough to traverse the pipe leading to the building."

I looked to each of my friends silently as I made the most difficult decision in my life (or what I remember as my life). "There is one person small enough," I said softly with a hitch in my voice.

Sacha's eyes narrowed. "I hope you are not volunteering Norro. It is too dangerous and the pipes are probably crawling with bacteria and vermin."

"No, not Norro." I muttered uneasily. "I'm talking about me."

Jax scoffed as he pointed in my direction. "In case you haven't noticed you barely fit into my clothes. I don't know what the original purpose was for your HRD chassis, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was constructed to be a bodyguard. You're built like a smashball tackle."

I looked down at the table as an uncomfortable chill ran through my body causing my hands to tremble. I recognized the sensation as fear and apprehension. "I'm suggesting that you put my droid brain into the servo droid. Hook up a camera to it and let me fly up the pipes."

Everybody at the table starred at me in stunned silence. Den was the first to say something. "You want me to remove your brain and put it into another droid body? Are you sure you can handle that? You just about had a seizure when you discovered you were a droid. What will happen when you wake up in a cleaning droid's body?"

I felt sick just thinking about it. "I don't know how I will react, but it's the only way to get the information we need to save her."

Jax gave me a curious look. "I-Five why are you so determined to risk everything for a stranger?"

I sighed and looked away for a moment. "I don't like the idea of somebody stealing another person's memories and filling their head with lies. My recent memory problems have shown me how emotionally painful it can be to believe your life is a certain way and then you discover it is all fictitious." I looked over to Den. "I don't remember the memory wipe I had years ago, but Den does. He told me how it took years of self-repair before I was able to salvage precious memories of Lorn Pavan. I don't want any other person to endure what I went through." I gazed at Den somberly. "Can the servo droid house my brain?"

He nodded. "I think so. If not, I can make some minor modifications. We can hook up an imager cable that you can extend up past the sewage grate in the basement floor. Hopefully we can find that machine and see if Sondra is inside."

"Good." I stood and faced my friends. "If you excuse me, I need time to prepare." I turned and went to the cargo area where I have been living since Magash's attempted abduction. I didn't tell my friends that what I really needed was a place where I could have my panic attack in privacy. I found a location far in the back of the ship where I could slip into the shadows. I dropped to the deck and sat against the bulkhead feeling nauseous. If I could vomit I would, but I can't. I can only quake in fear and hope I don't totally lose it when I wake up in a small droid body.

.

.

**_Entry 26_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

I sat in the cargo area alone and distraught for about a half hour before I heard footsteps approaching. I really hoped it wasn't Den because if he saw how upset I was he might refuse to do the brain transfer. I smiled when I spied Magash walking towards me, her formfitting jumpsuit hugging her body in an excruciating suggestive way. She sat on the deck next to me and gave my knee a friendly pat. "There is no shame in feeling scared."

"I'm not scared." That wasn't exactly true, but I didn't want to appear a coward.

She chuckled. "You are a lousy liar. I can sense your trepidation in the Force."

I gave an irritated grunt. "My Force signature is a blabbermouth." I looked away. "It's more than trepidation…I'm terrified."

She smiled sympathetically. "You are very brave."

I laughed sarcastically. "Didn't you hear me? I'm scared to death."

Her head dipped in acknowledgment. "There is a Dathomiri saying, _'There is no bravery without fear.'_

I scoffed as I held my shaky hands out in front of me. "Then I must be the bravest man on this ship, because I am literally trembling with fear." I stared at her stricken. "I know I am a droid and that Den has switched my brain around to other droids…but I still feel human and the thought of having my brain scooped out and becoming something other than this." I looked down at my humanoid body. "Horrifies me."

"Den will make sure you are not harmed." She put a comforting hand on my shoulder. "And it won't be for long."

"I know, I know. I'm not just nervous about the mechanics of the exchange. I'm worried about my emotional well-being. I already had a breakdown when I found out I'm a droid. What if that happens again? I don't know if I am strong enough to go through with this."

"Then don't do it," she said softly. "There are other options."

I shook my head. "The longer we wait the more likely the girl will be harmed."

Magash sighed deeply. "You do not need to take this responsibility onto your shoulders."

I sat quietly considering her words. "Magash, we were Antarian Rangers fighting against the Empire. We already ran from that fight. I don't want to do it again."

She made a dismissive wave of her hand. "We did not run from the fight. Darth Vader and his Inquisitors were actively hunting down Jedi. Jax, Sacha and I were putting the Rangers in danger every day we stayed." Her eyes narrowed. "Are you calling me a coward for leaving?"

"No, no!" I quickly clarified. "You are one of the bravest women I know." My shoulders slumped. "Sorry. I'm just don't like losing my nerve. I also hate the fact that my brain…the core of my being…will be barely protected by the thin hull of a cheap Servo Droid. I'll be so vulnerable."

She blew out a breath before turning to me, a mixture of compassion and determination filling her emerald green eyes. "Den has told me stories about your courage. He said you confronted the possibility of death daily when you assisted medics in the front lines of the Clone Wars. You have faced and fought Darth Vader more than once. You killed an Inquisitor to save your friends. You've had an arm pulled off by an irate Wookiee and you were decapitated twice while performing perilous missions…but you are here today. You are a fighter and I have no doubt you will succeed in this mission."

Her voice was so strong, confident and awe inspiring I had to grin. "That's some pep talk. Were you the person who gave a rousing speech to your clan sisters before you mounted your vicious man-eating Rancors and trotted off to hunt down some unbelievably deadly creature?"

She chuckled. "No, you are my first pep talk recipient. Did it help rally your courage?"

I thought about it for a second before I shook my head. "No, not really."

Her face dropped into a mock expression of defeat. "If my words bring you no comfort, I shall try another method." She eased closer, stretching her arm around my shoulder, before pulling me into her embrace. "I have no experience reassuring a human male, but I have seen Sacha and Jax console each other in this manner. How does this feel?"

I flashed her a good humored grin. "A little less of a headlock would be nice."

She laughed as she repositioned herself until my head was resting on her shoulder.

"Does this bring you any comfort?"

"Yes," I responded truthfully. It did feel good to be in her protective embrace. I still worried about the upcoming procedure, but at least I no longer felt alone.


	11. Chapter 11

**_Entry 27_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

Den had retrofitted the servo droid to house my brain and rigged a small holocam attached to a flexible neck on the top of the chassis. The imager's neck movement was controllable and would allow me to view above the basement floor grate once I was in position.

My friend had pulled a folding table into his cabin and was using it as a work bench. In front of him were the disassembled components of a servo droid. I watched him measure out the dimensions of the housing unit where my droid brain would be inserted. He was humming a song while he worked in a calm and efficient manner. The sight of the small droid horrified me and I could feel the trembling in my hands return. I clasped them behind my back to hide my rising anxiety. I didn't want to have another breakdown. I had to remain strong. The life of a missing girl depended on me remaining calm…but I was anything but composed. My thoughts leapt feverishly as a cascade of possible disasters ran though my droid brain.

"Will this work?" I needed Den to reassure me.

"I think so," he said casually, not looking up from his work.

"You think so?" The words came out in a panic. "You are about to scoop my brain out and you don't know if this will work?"

Den looked up to me, his big black eyes unreadable. "I-Five, I only meant I don't know if you'll get the evidence you need. I wasn't suggesting that you'd be harmed physically. I've transferred your droid brain to a half dozen droids over the years into all models and configurations and I haven't kriff'd it up yet. I know what I'm doing."

"Okay." I tried to sound confident in my friend's abilities, but it didn't sound convincing. My apprehension rose and I began pacing the room to hide the tremors racking my body.

Den looked back to the servo droid, connecting wires and checking circuits. "Can you stop pacing? You're making me nervous."

I gave out a caustic laugh. "I'm making you nervous?"

Den put down his tools. "I'm not going to do the transfer."

"What?" I walked up to him. "Why not?"

"Because you are going to have another episode…a seizure or breakdown. You are not ready for this."

I rung my hands nervously. "I can do this."

"Then you need to calm down. Go see Magash."

My brow rose questioningly. "Why should I see Magash?"

Den picked up his tools before rolling his eyes. "Because she was the person who was able to calm you down during your last attack. I think she has a way of distracting you."

I glared at him as a blush reddened my cheeks. "She doesn't distract me."

He gave a shrug. "Okay she doesn't, but you are distracting me. I don't want to make a mistake and crosswire your repulsors so up is down and left is right." When I didn't move he pointed to the cabin door. "Get out."

I heaved a sigh before I left the cabin. In the corridor I found Jax leaving the 'fresher. "How's it going?"

I shrugged. "Den is reconfiguring the droid so my brain will fit."

"Good." He scrutinized me for a moment before leaning back against the corridor wall. "Do you really want to do this?"

I closed my eyes. "I want to do it." That was the truth. I did want to do the mission…I was just terrified at the thought.

Jax obviously didn't see my unease. He smiled and gave me a pat on the shoulder. "Come into the galley. We've been working on a plan."

I moved into the kitchen area where I found Magash, Norro and Sacha looking over schematics on a datapad. They looked up when they heard me enter the room and Magash patted the empty seat next to her inviting me over. I sat down next to her and felt a calmness wash over me. Den was right, she does have a soothing effect on me. I wondered if she was using some Dathomiri spell to steel my resolve.

"Tomorrow the medical center is closed," Sacha told me. "It is a Phindian national holiday. There should only be essential personnel in the building. If Den gets the droid ready, I think that would be a good day to do the mission."

I craned my neck to see the plans she was looking at. "Did you find the best way into the sewer?"

Sacha pushed a couple buttons and slid the datapad over to me. "In the alley behind the building there is a sewer cover. I had Jax check it out this morning. He said there is a dumpster nearby that he can move to mask your movements. He'll open the cover and you two will enter the sewer."

Norro glared at Sacha. "Me too."

She let loose a frustrated breath. "It's too dangerous."

He crossed his bony arms in front of his chest, his face a determined mask. "If something goes wrong, if I-Five has flight problems, I'm the only other person small enough to go in and get him."

Sacha's face pinched into a troubled expression. "I-Five is getting his brain transferred into a servo droid so you  _don't_  have to traverse those pipes."

The boy scowled melodramatically. "I know! That's why I said I would be available if he had flight problems. What if he gets stuck in the pipes?" He looked to each one of us. "You need a backup plan."

Jax sat down next to Sacha and smirked. "He found out I was using a lightsaber to cut the bars covering the pipe leading to the basement. He wants to be the person brandishing the lightsaber."

"That's not it," Norro protested. "Or that's not the only reason. Do you really want to go into this without any alternate strategy?" He looked to me and held out his arms in a pleading gesture. "I don't want anything to happen to my father, Fyve Pavan."

Sacha gave an unladylike snort. "He should be an actor."

"He's right though." Jax ran his hands through his hair before he threw his hands up in defeat. "Fine. You'll come with me as backup."

Norro popped up out of his seat and gave a hoot. "I get to use the lightsaber!"

"I didn't say that," Jax protested.

"Let us get back to the plan." Magash reached over to the datapad and pushed a button bringing up the layout of the building. "The drainage pipe leads to the center of the basement. You should be able to see most of the lower level from the drain location."

Jax made an upward gesture with his hand. "You pop up that camera on its flexible neck and get a three-sixty look into the room. Record whatever information you see and get out. We'll exit the sewer and rendezvous with Den and Magash in the speeder." He turned to Sacha. "Sacha will remain here prepping the ship so we can make a quick exit if need be."

"That sounds simple enough." I tried to look upbeat, but I was still terrified. I felt a soothing wave pass through me and I turned to catch Magash gazing in my direction intently. Now I am positive she is doing some witch spell on me.

I leaned over and whispered to her. "Are you using some Force magic to calm me down?"

Her eyes went wide. I guess she was surprised that I could detect what she was doing. "Yes. Do you wish me to stop?"

I shook my head. "No. I need all the help that I can get."

.

.

**_Entry 28_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

Today is the day. We wouldn't enter the sewer pipes until dark, but for now Den needed to do the transfer and give me some time to practice maneuvering the servo droid.

All of us went into the cargo hold where I would have room to fly once the transfer is complete. Den laid the small droid on my sleeping cot and pulled up a chair for me to sit in.

"Just sit down and we'll get started."

I gazed at the chair for a long moment and then to my friends in the room. They didn't look any more thrilled about this transfer than I did. Sacha had a worried expression on her face as she nervously shifted from foot to foot. Jax's eyes flickered from me to the servo droid as he reached out and captured Sacha's hand in a calming gesture.

Norro was leaning against a bulkhead wide eyed and fidgety. Magash's head hung down, her eyes gazing at the deck. Den looked confident but his mouth was pulled into a grim, determined line.

I forced a laugh. "You guys look like you are attending my funeral. Den, I thought you said you've done this dozens of times."

Den gave a nod of the head. "I have. We're just worried about your reaction."

I took a step towards the chair, then hesitated, turning back to my friends. "I think I would be less nervous if you guys weren't around."

"Sure," Jax said as he turned and moved to the door, his hand still clutching Sacha's. Norro pushed off the bulkhead and exited the room with them.

Magash hesitated. "Would you like me to use my calming spell on you?"

I sat down in the chair and blew out a nervous breath. "Yes, please."

She walked over and knelt in front of me, putting her hands on my knees, palms up. "Give me your hands."

I held her hands and closed my eyes. I could feel pressure at the back of my head as Den pulled back a flap of hair hiding the entry panel to my brain case. My grip on Magash tightened as I heard the panel click open.

"Listen to my voice," Magash whispered as I once again felt a soothing wave wash over me. "You will be fine. Nothing bad will happen to you."

Her voice drifted off into the distance. I could no longer feel her touch, but I continued to feel her calming presence, her caress through the Force. It was a strange sensation, similar to the time when we first met and she did that probing spell on me. Back then I was surprised and a little upset that she used the Force to sneak into me and analyze my consciousness. This time was different. Having her Force presence suffused around me gave me comfort.

Eventually I could hear Den speaking. "I-Five, can you hear me?"

I tried to turn toward his voice when a sudden sensation of vertigo hit me causing my vision to spin. Eventually I realized I was the one spinning. I was floating about a meter above the deck in an uncontrolled gyration. I saw Den's hands grab me as he begged me to stop trying to move. I willed myself to remain still causing the droid's small repulsor lifts to power down.

"Be still. If you want to communicate with us, just think. This droid doesn't have an audio speaker, so you can't talk to us normally. Just think about what you want to say and your thoughts will be translated into words and sent to our wireless earphones." He tossed a earbud to Magash who pushed it into her ear. "Can you hear me?"

_'Yes.'_

I could feel my body move as Den set me back down on my sleep pallet. At one point my optical sensor caught sight of my HDR body. The hair on the back of the head was pulled back exposing the interior brain case. Magash once told me about shaman witches having out-of-body experiences—well I was having one right now. I was beginning to panic at the sight of my human body. Magash walked into my line of sight and I could see the worried expression on her face. I hate her seeing me like this—seeing me as I truly am—a compact positronic brain. The fact that I my conscious can be transferred from droid chassis to droid chassis was proof that everything that made me truly me can be held in the palm of Den's hand. It is a depressing thought and I felt like a fraud. My friends treat me as an equal and I'm not. I'm simply an artificial neural network. I am nothing else. I am nothing.

"You are something," Magash said pulling me out of my musing.

Den sighed with a shake of his head. "I said you just have to think and the signal will be translated into our earpieces."

_'You heard all of that!'_

"You mean your self-deprecating and depressing thoughts?" Den chuckled at my expense. "I will adjust the communication link where you have to think a key word prior to and after the end of the transmission."

_'You should have done that before making the switch!'_

Den picked up his datapad and punched a long string of commands. "Sorry, I didn't know you were dealing with thoughts of inadequacy and feelings of low self-worth."

_'I'm not!'_  I insisted.  _'Or at least I normally don't think such depressing thoughts. These last few weeks have been stressful to me. First I believe I'm human and now my brain is shoved into a cleaning droid. A small machine used to clean toilet paper and urine off the floors of 'freshers! If I did this to you I doubt you would remain upbeat!'_

"Sorry, sorry." He pushed once last button on his datapad. "Finished. When you want to transmit think 'start' when you are done think 'out'. You don't have to do it before every sentence. When you start the mission you can keep the line open, just watch your thoughts."

_'Thanks,'_  I thought. When Den did not answer I tried again. '[ _Start] Thanks, can you hear me? [Out]'_

"I hear you. We have some time before we leave. You need to take the time to learn how to fly and control the camera. Try powering up your repulsors."

I was sitting on my sleep pallet as I activated the repulsor engines. At least if I failed and crashed I would land on a cushioned surface.

"Good," Den said with a smile. "Now think about floating up."

I concentrated on the thought of flying. I wobbled in space for a moment before I slowly drifted upward.

Den's grin grew wider. "You are doing great. Now try to slowly turn in a circle."

I tried to do as he said, but I wobbled and felt a strange sensation followed by the sound of splashing water.  _'[Start] What just happened? [Out]'_

Den put a hand over his mouth to muffle a laugh. "You accidentally activated your cleaning mechanism and released some washing fluid."

I am sure if a servo droid could blush I would be doing so right about now. ' _[Start] Are you saying I wet my bed? [Out]'_

This time Magash broke out in laughter. "Sorry." She turned around as she tried to compose herself, but I could still see her shoulders shaking in amusement.

Den pinched his face up to hide a grin. "Don't worry about it. It happens to the best of us."

_'[Start] Sure, I'm certain this is an everyday occurrence for most people. Who hasn't had their brain put in a servo droid with an incontinence problem? [Out]'_

Magash made a snort/laugh sound before she excused herself saying she had to use the 'fresher.

Den grabbed me out of the air and put me on the deck floor. "Just in case you have another accident…these floors need scrubbing."

I wished this chassis had hands so I could smack him upside the head.

"Let's try again."

I once again activated the repulsors and slowly rose off the deck. When I tried flying I lost control and bumped into the bulkhead. During my second try I rammed into Den's head…which I didn't do on purpose…but he deserved it. Eventually I figured out how to hover in place and move about. I even learned what actions would control the cleaning functions…in this case I was trying to ensure I avoided activating the washing and scrubbing utilities. I then practiced controlling the Holocam. The imager's flexible neck was attached on top of the droid chassis and controlled by contractions of the wire filaments within the cable. It worked similar to muscle contractions. That took time to master, but I eventually figured it out.

I was surprised that my sense of panic had subsided. Once the transfer was complete I became immersed with mastering this new body. With that said, I cannot wait to be back into the HRD chassis. My senses are very limited in the servo droid. I can see, but I can't sense any odors (which might be good while traversing a sewer pipe), I can't really feel with my new body. I can sense vibrations when I hit objects or if something grabs me. There are no touch sensors on the hull of the droid, instead I am interpreting data coming from a gyro located between the repulsors.

I was resting on a small shipping container with Den checking the camera signal when Jax came into the cargo area to get me. He was dressed in dark clothing with a hoodie pulled down to his brow. Norro entered the room dressed like a miniature version of Jax. "We have the speeder ready."

Den reached into his pocket and pulled out two earpieces. "Here put these in so you can hear I-Five. He can hear you when you talk in the same room. When he is out of voice range press the button on the earpiece to communicate with him electronically. They are keyed to his frequency."

Norro and Jax screwed the earbuds into their ears. "Say something I-Five."

_'[Start] Com check. Check, check. [Out]'_

Jax walked out of my line of sight, but I adjust the flexible neck to get him back into view. "Sounds good. How about you Norro?"

"I can hear him fine."

My vision became skewed as Den picked me up, cradling me in his arms. "I guess it's showtime."

Showtime. That is such an upbeat word for a mission that involves a fecal infested drainage system plus breaking and entering.

I just hope everything goes as planned and I can get back to my human replica body as soon as possible.


	12. Chapter 12

**_Entry 29_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

On the drive to the medical building I listened to Jax, Den and Norro talking. Magash remained strangely quiet during the ride. I think she was a little nervous for me. Den was driving with Jax in the front passenger seat. I was in the backseat perched between Norro and Magash.

"How did you convince Sacha to stay in the ship?" Den asked Jax.

"I didn't have to. Once the baby started to move Sacha's motherly instincts kicked in. She doesn't want anything to happen to the baby. I told her to lock up the ship tight and keep a blaster on her. I don't need another kidnapping attempt."

"You think of any names yet?" Den asked.

"I like the name Tark, Jaran, Dak, Tomas, or Derik. Sacha likes Viktor, Eric, Markus or Triv. We haven't decided yet."

Den slowed the speeder and pulled to the side of the road in an area unlit by streetlamps. I could see him pointing out the front windshield. "The building is up at the corner. There is an alley on the side with the entrance of the sewer. Magash and I will wait here in the getaway speeder. We'll be monitoring your communications and I-Five's vid feed. So if you need help let us know and we'll come in with blasters blazing."

Jax and Norro exited the speeder. Magash picked my servo droid chassis and handed it to the boy who unceremoniously tucked me under his arm. My vision became jumbled as the two men sprinted toward their destination. Occasionally I was able to focus and view my surroundings. We entered a dimly lit alley. As we moved past a large dumpster Jax made a wave of his hand and I heard the squeal of something large moving behind us. I assume he used the Force to shift the trash container in order to hide our movements from the street. When we finally stopped running I was able to focus on the sewer cover before it levitated up and to the side. Normally Jax avoids using the Force at all costs, not wanting to attract the attention of any Inquisitors in the area, but I assume we are in more danger of being seen by law enforcement than Force strong darksiders.

Jax jumped into the dark opening before calling for Norro to follow. The young boys feet landed with a splash in what I hoped was water.

Jax turned to me and grimaced. "You're lucky you can't smell this."

Norro balanced me in one arm as he pressed the sleeve of his free hand to his face. "Smells like the slit trench toilets on Despayre."

They both activated glowrods and Norro startled as a spider-roach scuttled off into the darkness. "I hate those things."

Jax held the glowrod up and then gestured for Norro to follow him. "The access pipe should only be about fifty meters from here."

My vision jerked and shuttered as Norro switched the Servo droid from under one arm to the other. I would have complained but the situation was stressful enough for me. I just wanted to get this done and over with. Eventually we arrived at the medical facility access pipe. As expected, there were bars covering the opening. I heard the hum of a lightsaber and saw a pale red glow illuminating the underground passageway. Jax used the Sith lightsaber he acquired from an unknown benefactor over a year ago to slice through the durasteel bars.

"Why did you bring the red lightsaber?" Norro asked.

"A couple reasons," Jax said as he deactivated the saber. "If I lose it or have to ditch it I won't miss it as much as the saber I designed and built. Second, when people see a red lightsaber they immediately think Inquisitor. People avoid Inquisitors like a plague. That aversion might save our lives." He clipped the saber to his belt before holding his hands out toward me. "Hand me I-Five."

Norro passed me to Jax who brought me up to his eye level. "Are you ready?"

I activated my transmitter _. '[Start] I'm ready. Can you hear me? [Out]'_

"Loud and clear." Jax held me up to the pipe entrance. "Whenever you're ready."

I fired up the repulsorlifts and shot up the pipe toward the building above. It didn't take me long to reach the basement's large drainage grate. I steadied myself, hovering directly under the slotted drainage cover, activated the camera and maneuvered the flexible neck up and through the grate. The camera had night vision capabilities, but I didn't need them. The room was dimly lit, but it was bright enough to see the room clearly. I turned around slowly, getting a three-hundred and sixty degree view of the chamber. There were crates, cleaning supplies and old furniture littering the area, but I didn't see any evidence of a machine that looked anything like the ones we saw upstairs. There was a storage room off to the side with light pouring out from under the door, but there was no way for me to see inside from my location.  _'[Start] I don't see anything. There is another room, but the door's closed. There is light coming from it. I will try to push the grate open and enter the basement. [Out]'_

I pressed the top of the servo droid chassis against the grate and fired up the repulsors to full power. The small engines whined from the effort, but the grate didn't budge.  _'[Start] I can't move the grate. It's too heavy. I think this is a bust. What do you want me to do, Jax? [Out]'_

There was a long pause before Jax answered. "Norro wants to try to climb up and help you. Do you think he'll fit?"

_'[Start] I believe so, but there are areas that are steep. I don't know if he can find enough traction to move up the pipe. [Out]'_

"I can give him a push with the Force."

_'[Start] If he wants to try, that's fine with me. [Out]'_

I waited at the grill entrance for a few minutes before I heard a scrapping sound and an occasional grunt and groan. Norro eventually came into view, covered with grime, his face scrunched with a look of disgust.

"That's far enough, Jax," he called out. His movement stopped momentarily before he crawled the last meter to my position. "Move out of the way and I will try to push it up."

I flew back and watched the boy crawled to a position under the grate and roll over onto his back. He reached up and pushed on the grate with all his might. The wiry muscles in his thin arms strained, but the cover did not budge. He angled his head so he could see me. "Can you see if there're screws holding it in place?" He backed up allowing me to fly to the grate and snake up the camera to analyze the situation.

_'[Start] There are two screws holding the grate in place. They are on either side and line up with the direction of this pipe. There is no way you will be able to push it open. [Out]'_

"Think again," Norro said with a grin as he pulled Jax's lightsaber out of his side trouser pocket. "Back up."

I did as he said. He didn't have much room to maneuver with the weapon. He ended up pressing the hilt of the saber to where I indicated the screws were located and activated the lightsaber. The blade burned through the metal and duracrete floor. He deactivated the weapon and did the same for the other side before he quickly turned off the saber and secured the weapon back into his pocket. "Hopefully that did the trick." He reached up and pushed. This time the cover moved. He pushed it up and over to the side until I had enough room to get through.

_'[Start] Stay there Norro. I am going to try to get my camera under that storage door. If Sondra isn't in there, then this mission is terminated and we get out of here. [Out]'_

I flew through the opening and made my way to the storage door. I landed at the base of the entry and maneuvered the flexible camera neck under the door. At first I didn't see anything but the floor, but as I adjusted the camera I found what I was looking for. Our missing woman was in the room, secured to a bed with various probes and sensors attached to wires that went from her head to a large humming machine with flashing lights.  _'[Start] Den, I'm transmitting an image. Can you see it? [Out]'_

_"I see her. Good work. Get out of there and I'll notify her father that we located his daughter."_

_'[Start] Affirmative. [Out]'_  I started up the repulsors and attempted to pull the camera out from under the door, but encountered resistance. I pulled, pushed and jiggled the flexible neck, but it stubbornly remained stuck. ' _This isn't good,'_  I thought to myself.

Den's panicked voice came over my transceiver. "You need to get out of there now. Two vehicles have entered the underground garage."

I maneuvered back and forth trying to dislodge the stuck camera, but I couldn't get loose _. '[Start] I have a problem. I'm stuck.'_  I left the mic open for quicker communications.  _'If they come into the basement they will see me for sure. Get out.'_

I heard movement and expected to hear the kidnappers entering the room. Instead Norro's voice boomed above me. "I'll get you free." I felt him tugging on the camera and sliding it along the base of the door until he found a place where the gap was larger allowing the camera to slip out. "Come on let's go." Norro ran back to the opening in the floor, sat at the edge of the pipe, and lowered himself in. He reached out for me. "Come on."

I was about to dive into the pipe with him, but I then noticed something-Norro's wet feet left footprints from the pipe to the door and back _. 'Norro. I have to get rid of all of these footprints. Close the grate. I will activate the cleaning function of this droid and get rid of the evidence. I'll find a hiding place until_   _it is safe to leave.[Out]'_

To my relief Norro didn't protest. He pulled the grate closed and I triggered the servo droid's small wet vacuum built into the bottom of the chassis. I ran over the wet footprints until there was no longer a trace. I then sucked up the broken duracrete and metal fragments caused by the lightsaber. I heard voices in the hallway and the sound of a code punched into a keypad. I flew up and landed on top of a storage cabinet and powered down the servos. I kept the camera activated and the transmitter open.

Three people entered the room. One large Phindian and two human males carrying a large dufflebag between them. I could hear the muffled cries and movement coming from the bag and I knew the kidnappers had a new victim.

"I don't know why the kriff you brought me another female!" the Phindian complained. "I haven't finished the diagnostic portion of the treatment with the girl I have already."

The two men dropped the bag with a thud prompting muffled sobs from the canvas tote. One of the humans—who I recognized as the scarred face man from the Svang hotel—gave the bag a kick. "Shut up or I'll give you something to cry about!" He looked at the Phindian. "Why do you need all this careful analysis of the brain? We are going to give her false memories, just erase everything and save time."

The Phindian shoved his hands into his long overcoat and heaved a heavy sigh. "I have explained this to you before, the brain is complex and none are exactly alike. If I eradicate neurons randomly I could destroy parts of the brain that are needed to talk or read."

"Stang!" the man screamed. "Don't you know where those functions are located in the brain? Just avoid those areas!"

The Phindian shook his head in frustration. "Brains are complex. Injury or brain tumors can shift certain brain functions from one area to another. I can't always assume certain memories will be where I think they'll be located."

The scarred man sneered at the alien. "So what if you erase the talking or reading portions of the brain."

The large alien rolled his eyes. "I'll tell you what. You won't get your commission for finding a marriage minded woman for that high class matchmaker site if she is a drooling idiot."

"Kriff that! I can also sell her as a brothel slave. The miners don't give a crap if she can read or talk. In fact they'd probably prefer they don't talk."

The alien's mouth drew into a hard line. "We agreed that they wouldn't be sold into slavery."

The other human, an ugly bearded man who was silent to this point, burst out in laughter as he nudged the scarred faced man with his elbow. "What's he going to do? Call the police."

The Phindian's large head drooped knowing he was trapped by his circumstances. "I can stop working for you. Then what are you going to do? Call the police," he said with a sarcastic tone.

The scarred man grinned at the alien evilly. "No, we'll just kill you. I need you to hurry up and finish with the girl you've got now and keep this one under wraps until then."

The Phindian threw his arms out wide in a frustrated gesture. "This basement is sometimes visited by the security force. I can't afford to keep her tied up in the storage room. There's a chance that the guard will hear her struggling or trying to scream through her gag."

"Then knock her out, idiot"

"Do you think I can just give her a knock out drug and let her lie in the corner for weeks? I need to have her on an anesthesia drip, have a feeding tube and a catheter."

The two men shrugged their shoulders. "Then do that, we  _are_  in a medical facility."

The alien smacked his palm to his forehead. "Every item in this building has a scan code and every IV stand, every drug, every catheter is accounted for. If something goes missing then the person in charge will search for it. We don't want people searching the storage basement for a missing IV bag." He blew out a frustrated breath. "I personally bought the items for the girl we have now. I'm going to have to buy the same items to keep this one on hold."

The second man shrugged. "Then do it. We'll reimburse you from the profits."

The alien looked to the ceiling before blowing out a breath. "Fine, let's get her in the storage room and I'll give her a sedative that will keep her out until I can purchase the items. I have a friend who owns a medical supply store. Maybe I can get him to open up on a holiday."

"When are you going to start erasing the other girl's memories?"

"I don't know. I may be able to start tomorrow." The alien pulled a key out of his pocket and opened up a padlock on the storage door. He heaved the huge door open allowing the two humans to drag the large dufflebag inside."

The two men exited the storage area and called back to the Phindian. "We'll check your progress in a couple weeks." They exited the basement leaving the Phindian with the two women. I couldn't see what was going on inside, but I heard the sound of a struggle, a quickly muffled scream and then the grumbling of the Phindian. "Kriff! She doesn't look a day over fifteen! Kriff'n perverts!"

A few minutes later the Phindian exited the storage room and locked it up. He then gave the basement the once over before he left the chamber, closing the door behind him.

I didn't move. I wanted to make sure they were gone.  _'[Start] Den, let me know when the two vehicles leave the garage. [Out]'_

_"Will do,"_  came the sound of Den's voice. After about five minutes I was given the all clear.  _"They're both gone."_

I fired up the repulsorlifts as Norro pushed the grate cover open and crawled out onto the basement floor. I thought he was making way for me to exit and he would follow, but he ran over to the supply closet.  _'[Start] Norro, what are you doing? [Out].'_

He looked up to where I was hovering. "You heard them. They are going to start erasing memories tomorrow. We can't wait until Sondra's father convinces the police to get a search warrant."

_'[Start] We can't get them out and we think the local police are corrupt. What do you suggest? [Out]'_

"I can get them out!" he said with a grin as he pulled the lightsaber out of his trouser pocket. "I have the master key."

_"What's going on?"_  It was Jax's voice broadcasting to me. He was probably confused since Norro was talking out loud and not communicating through his ear comlink. Jax could only hear my side of the conversation.

_"[Start] Norro is getting a bit impulsive. Give us a few minutes.[Out]."_  I maneuvered the servo droid toward Norro.  _"[Start] Norro, I know you can get into the storage area, but once you break in we can't get the women out of the building. Unless they're your size they can't go out the way we came in. Besides they are probably both unconscious. [Out]."_

His brow furrowed in concentration before he grinned. "The Phindian said there was security guards upstairs. It sounded like they weren't in on this criminal activity."

_'[Start] We can't walk up there and make a report. There will be questions and the Empire wants us dead. [Out]'_

Norro paced around the basement as he tried to formulate a plan. I know I should have insist that we leave immediately, but deep down, I also wanted to find a way to save the two women tonight. Norro stopped on the far side of the room and stared intently at something on the wall. "I-Five, do you think the fire department is also corrupt?"

_"[Start] No, why? [Out]"._

He stood back and pointed to a fire alarm. "I'll cut off the storage room padlock and open the door all the way and then pull the fire alarm. This way when security personnel and the fire department show up to investigate they'll see the women and they'll help."

I have to admit. That was a good plan. I'm now glad the young man came with us. Without him I wouldn't been able to get into the basement and we might have never discovered what happened to Sondra.  _'[Start]Let me check with Jax. Can you hear me Jax? [Out].'_

_"Yeah, what's going on?"_

_[Start] Norro wants to cut the lock to the storage door, open it, then pull the fire alarm. What do you think?"_

There was a slight pause.  _"Do it."_

Norro obviously heard Jax in his earbud because he immediately activated the Sith lightsaber and cut off the padlock. He then deactivated the weapon and tugged the door fully open before turning to me. "Go ahead and get into the pipe. I'll pull the alarm, jump into the pipe and pull the grate closed."

He didn't wait for me to reply. He ran over to the alarm and yanked down the handle. An alarm blared out so loud that Norro covered his ears with his hands. I dove down into the pipe and waited for the boy. He quickly followed and replaced the grate. We both then swiftly moved in the direction that we entered.

_'[Start] Jax, Den, Magash we are coming out in a hurry. Hopefully the emergency workers are not on the kidnapper's payroll. Get the speeder ready. [Out].'_

The trip out of the sewer was quick and hectic. Once we were out of the narrow pipe Norro grabbed me out of the air and ran next to Jax to the sewer entrance. Jax used the Force to levitate Norro out of the underground passage and to the street above and then jumped out himself. They then both started their sprint to where the speeder was located. The teenager was holding me in front of his chest when he tripped over something on the ground and I flew out of his arms. My optical feed was spinning as I tried to activate my repulsors to stop my trajectory. The last thing I remember was the image of the trash dumpster rushing toward me. I hit the metal garbage container with a loud metallic thump before everything went dark.


	13. Chapter 13

**_Entry 30_ **

**_Journal side note: Before I recount these next journal entries I want to point out I suffered a second injury that further confused my memory and brain function. I was hesitant to record what happened next because my actions were somewhat embarrassing, but I decided all events should be chronicled as they occurred._ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

I remained unconscious for an unspecified amount of time. Eventually Den's voice pierced the black haze.

"Don't worry, he'll be alright. He's seen worse."

I heard sniffling and then a young voice racked with grief. "It's my fault he was hurt."

"Don't say that Norro. It was an accident." It was Magash's voice that replied, but it sounded different…strained and sad. "Besides I must shoulder most of the blame. He was nervous about doing this mission. He feared for his safety and mental wellbeing, but I reassured him and encouraged him to go." Her voice faltered before I heard a strange weeping sound. Magash was crying! I have never seen her cry. I wanted to reach out and comfort her but I was blind and paralyzed.

I heard somebody shuffling about to my right. "Norro, why don't we go to the galley and give them some privacy." It was Sacha's voice. I heard two sets of footsteps moving down the corridor and away from my location. Another pair of boots moved closer to me before I heard Jax speak. "Magash, you heard the reasons he gave that night he decided to go. He didn't want Sondra to lose her memories. He didn't want her to suffer. It had nothing to do with what you said."

Her soft cries stopped as I heard her struggle to find her voice. "I think he wanted to change his mind, but after we talked he felt he couldn't."

"Why couldn't he?" Jax asked.

"You know why," was her heartbroken response.

"No, really, why?" Jax persisted sounding confused.

It was Den that answered. "Because of I-Five's feeling for Magash. He doesn't want to look bad in her eyes."

"Oh."

I wish I could wake up and tell Magash whatever happened to me was not her fault.

"I'm almost done," Den said. "If this latest injury affected his brain, whatever you do don't upset him like we did the last time he had this type of injury. If things are a little quirky, remember he will heal over time. I don't want to see another one of those seizures."

Slowly my senses returned. I could feel pressure on the back of my head and I assumed I had a head injury and Den was patching me up. The pressure continued until suddenly my body regained all sensations. My eyes popped open as I pulled in a deep breath. I looked around and realized I was in the cargo bay of the  _Laranth_. I turned to the direction that Magash's voice had come from and spied her sitting on a chair across from me, her eyes bloodshot and with tears rolling down her cheeks and dampening her tunic. "Magash," I managed to whisper. My thoughts were jumbled and confused, but I slowly stood and put my arms out to her. "Please don't cry."

She rose from her seat and embraced me, giving me a fierce hug. "Don't scare me like that. I thought we lost you."

I smiled sadly as I reached up and brushed the tears from her face. "I'm fine." I then leaned down and captured her lips in mine. It was supposed to be a tender, reassuring kiss, but I could feel her stiffen in my arms. I pulled away thinking her dislike for public displays of affection was the problem. Magash stepped back, her fingers touching her lips, a puzzled look on her face. I turned to Den and Jax who looked equally perplexed.

I gestured toward them. "What? Can't a man kiss his wife?"

Their reaction to that statement was mystifying. Den slapped his palm to his forehead and muttered. "Not again."

"Oh great," Jax moaned.

I looked back and forth between the two. "What's wrong?"

It looked like Jax was going to explain, but Magash threw up her hand in a halting motion. "Stop. We can discuss this later. We do not want a repeat of what happened last time." She moved to the door to the cargo area and motioned for Jax and Den to leave. "It's very late. We'll work this out in the morning."

Den quickly left, looking relieved to get back to his cabin, but Jax remained. He gazed at Magash for a long moment. "Are you sure you can handle this."

She waved him off looking a bit confused by his comment. "What is there to handle? We will wait until the morning to discuss matters."

"Okay," Jax said slowly before he chuckled. "Good night." He walked out of the cargo area closing the door behind him.

"What is going on?" I asked more forcefully. I don't like my friends talking in riddles.

Magash turned and smiled at me weakly. "You don't look or sound well. They worry about your health. You should get some sleep. We will see how you feel in the morning."

I reached to the back of my head expecting to feel a lump but didn't find anything out of the ordinary. "Did I hit my head? I can't remember the accident. What happened?"

"You bumped your head and have temporary amnesia." She gazed at me sadly. "Please. You need your rest. Den believes your memories will return, but you must relax and allow yourself time to recover. Please." The last word was almost pleading.

"Sure. It can wait until morning."

She smiled in relief before she turned and entered the large storage room she had commandeered as a cabin. When I followed on her heels she stopped and gazed at me in surprise before she pushed me back out the cabin door and pointed over to a makeshift cot resting on a couple cargo containers. "That is where you sleep."

I looked to the cot and back to her. "Why?"

She closed her eyes and shook her head as if she just remembered something important. "Just sleep there."

I gazed at her sadly. "Did we have a fight? I don't remember. Whatever I did to upset you, I'm sorry."

"That is not the case." She averted her eyes. "Can we discuss this tomorrow?"

"I can't sleep knowing you're mad at me." I reached up and cupped her cheek with my palm. "Magash, tell me."

She shook her head. "Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? I don't know what is going on, but I do know we shouldn't leave a problem to fester." I ran a hand over my face and let out a sigh. "Doesn't your clan have some sage adage about never going to bed angry?"

She smirked slightly before nodding. "We do. The old Dathomiri saying is  _'Never go to bed angry; stay awake and plot revenge_.'"

I would have laughed, but I wasn't sure if that is exactly what she intended to do. Whatever I did to upset her, it must have been bad. "Please tell me what I did so I can make things right." I stepped closer and wrapped my arms around her waist, gently pulling her into a warm hug. "Please."

"It doesn't have anything to do with us."

"Then why am I sleeping out in a cargo area?" I looked at the makeshift cot and frowned. There wasn't even a pillow or blanket for me. It was just a foam sleeping-pad sitting on some cargo boxes.

She refused to look me in the eye. "I…um…Den may want to check on you in the night. I do not wish for him to enter my cabin."

"You mean our cabin?"

I could see she was getting frustrated and I was fairly certain she was lying about something. I pulled her closer and whispered in her ear. "I did something, didn't I? Something bad? Did I betray our wedding vows? Are we divorcing?"

"No, no, no," she said emphatically as she pulled away slightly. "You would never betray me. You are an honorable man…a man I trust with my life. Den may want to check on you in the night, that is all."

My eyes narrowed as I tried to determine the veracity of her statement. "Den is not a doctor."

"You and him worked with medics," she countered.

I thought back, concentrating feverishly. "True. I sort of remember something about that." I shook my head in frustration. I looked down at my hand and noticed it was trembling. Magash followed my gaze and frowned deeply. She reached out and took my hands in hers, her face softening as she gave my palms a gentle squeeze. "I do not wish to fight with you. If you come into the cabin, will you sleep and not ask further questions?"

I thought about it for a second. I wanted to know if something was wrong, but if she refused to talk about it this was the next best thing. "Yes."

"Fine." She released my hands and stepped back, motioning me to follow her inside. She went to a small portable dresser and pulled out some loose exercise pants and a sleepshirt. "I need to use the 'fresher."

She left leaving me to find my sleepwear. I looked through the small dresser and inside a few boxes searching for my clothing, but found none. I assumed everything was in the wash. On the top of the dresser I noticed an official looking document. I picked it up and realized it was our wedding license. That brought a smile to my face until I realize I couldn't remember the wedding. I could only hope my memory returned soon. That is a day I wish to remember.  _'Along with our honeymoon,'_  I thought with a grin. I kicked off my shoes and removed and folded my trousers and tunic. I had boxer-briefs on, I could sleep in that.

Magash returned to the cabin in her modest sleep outfit. She stopped at the door with a surprised expression on her face as she watched me prepare for bed.

"What?" I looked down at my underwear and then back to her. "I couldn't find pajamas."

She blew out a breath before gesturing toward the bed. "Let us sleep."

I climbed onto the narrow bed and scooted over as far as I could until my back was nearly hanging over the edge. Magash hesitated before crawling in next to me. I am not sure why she is acting so distant and aloof, but I decided to not push my luck and try to snuggle in next to her. I pulled the covers over both of us and went to sleep.

 

**.**

**.**

**_Entry 31_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

I was awakened last night by movement next to me. My eyes fluttered opened and I realized I had no idea where I was. The last thing I remembered was escaping from the basement of the Drogan Medical Building.

I was lying on my side with my arm slung over something soft. My initial thought was I was hugging a pillow, but as my hand searched in the darkness I realized this pillow had odd curves…and was breathing. I drew back so quickly I tumbled out of bed.

"Lights!" I yelled activating the automated illumination system. I got up to my knees and looked around in total confusion realizing I was in Magash's room. My attention quickly went to the bed where I saw movement under a blanket followed by my friend turning around to look at me, blinking at the harsh light. "Magash, what am I doing here?" I looked down at my clothing or lack of. "And why am I in my underwear?"

A wide smile crossed her face. "Your memory has returned."

I shook my head. "No, I don't remember coming in here.  _Why_ am I in your room?"

She gazed at me sadly. "You, my friend, experienced another brain injury and this time you were not only convinced you were human, but that we were married. You insisted on sleeping with your wife."

"What!" That revelation was shocking…and I don't I don't mean that metaphorically. I literally experienced a destabilization of my mental and physical faculties resulting in me falling onto my backside. "I don't remember any of this." I looked up at her in a panic. "Did I…did we…," I sputtered, unable to say the words.

She pulled the covers away, swinging her legs over the side of the bed so she could sit up. I was relieved to see her fully clothed. "Did we make love? No. When I said sleep, I meant sleep."

"Even if I thought you were my wife, you know we're not married. Why did you go along with my delusion?"

"I did not wish to upset you."

"So you invited me into your bed?" I realized I was practically yelling at this point. I lowered my voice and continued. "Why?"

"That wasn't my initial intent," she said with a sigh. "I was willing to go along with your belief that we were married, but I forgot bonded men and women in your culture sleep together. That is not the custom on Dathomir." She gave a delicate shrug of a shoulder. "Once I realized my mistake I was fearful of telling you the truth. You know what happened the last time you were told your beliefs were untrue. I did not want you to have another seizure and possibly cause further injury to your brain."

"I can't believe this." I looked down at the deck as I ran a frustrated hand though my hair. "Why is this happening to me? First I think I'm human and then I think I am married."

She gestured to the document sitting on her dresser. "We do have forged papers stating we are a married couple. Perhaps you remembered the documents and not the fact they are counterfeits."

I didn't argue against her theory. "Does the rest of the crew know I'm here?"

"No, but they know you believe we are married."

"Great. Den will never stop teasing me." I gazed up at my friend. "I am so sorry to put you in this terribly compromising position. Please forgive me."

She stood and stretched her arms out to me. I took her hands and allowed her to pull me to my feet. She stared at our clasped hands before gazing into my eyes. "There is nothing to forgive. Your mental confusion was a result of an injury that occurred while trying to save two women. Your actions were courageous and selfless."

My eyes went wide. I had momentarily forgot about the women. "That's right. What happened? Is Sondra alright? How about the other girl?"

"You made your escape only a few hours ago. We have not received any updated information as yet. Get some sleep and we should know something in the morning." She put a hand on my shoulder. "You and Norro did an amazing job. You are a hero."

I blushed slightly. "Not that anybody will know. We are keeping our names away from the media."

She smiled softly. "I'll know."

We stood there for an awkward moment before I stepped back and moved to the door. "Good Night."

"I-Five," she said softly, her exotic Dathomiri accent giving her voice a warm, seductive tone.

I turned to her, nervous that she might ask me to stay (I still don't know why that bizarre and exceedingly implausible idea flashed through my droid brain). Instead, she picked up my trousers and tunic off her dresser and tossed them to me. "Perhaps it is best that the others find you fully clothed in the morning."

I let out a relieved breath as I grabbed the garments out of the air. "That probably would be best. We don't want to start any rumors."

Magash laughed. "I think it is too late for that."

"You're probably right." I flashed a warm smile. "Have a nice night." I flicked off the lights and softly closed the door.


	14. Chapter 14

**_Entry 32_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

Den came into the cargo area early the next morning. I could tell by his cryptic questions he was trying to figure out if I still believed I was a married man. I guess he didn't want to say anything to upset my mental balance.

"Soooo," Den said slowly. "How do you feel?"

Since I usually am the brunt of Den's teasing I decided to be a bit mischievous today. "Great why?"

He looked at the door of Magash's cabin and then to my cot obviously trying to figure out where I slept the night before. "How did you sleep? Was your cot comfortable?"

I gave him a mock look of confusion as I pointed to the cot behind me. "That cot? Why would I sleep on that cot?"

Den's jaw dropped as he stood there trying to formulate a question. "Where did you sleep then?"

"Why, with my wife, of course." I grinned and gave Den a wink. "Although not much sleeping was going on, if you know what I mean."

I could see a blush crawl across Den's dewflaps as he struggled to find his voice. "Oh, no." He walked over to a small packing crate and sat down on it. "Oh kriff. Magash said she could handle it."

A wide grin crossed my face. "Oh she handled it alright."

My friend suddenly became speechless. I was able to keep a straight face for only a few seconds before I burst out laughing. "I'm joking. I must have rebooted after I went into sleep mode. I still retain the memories of a fabricated human past, but I believe my recollections from the time of my first brain injury until my most recent damage is intact and accurate. The only missing time I am experiencing now starts right after I escaped from the medical facility and until the time I rebooted during sleep."

A slight smile tugged on the corners of Den's mouth. "So, you don't remember what you did from the time you received your second brain injury and when you woke up last night?"

I shook my head. "No, but after my memory returned Magash told me I had been under the misconception that we were married."

"Is that all she told you?" Now it was Den's turn to grin widely.

I nodded. "Yes."

"You don't remember grabbing Magash up in your arms and giving her a long, passionate kiss before announcing that she was your wife?"

I frowned. Magash didn't mention that fact. "Now you are joking with me."

Den laughed louder. "No, ask Jax or Magash. You kissed her soundly…and I think it was an open mouth kiss."

"Stop it. I did not."

"You did."

I sat down my cot and dropped my head into my hands. "How could I do that? Magash must have been horrified."

"Oh, I don't know. She looked surprised but she didn't struggle."

I groaned in embarrassment. At that moment I heard the door to Magash's cabin open and the sound of her stepping outside. "What is wrong?"

Den smirked. "He's just embarrassed about last night."

I looked over at Magash. She was still wearing her sleep outfit, but now a blush accessorized her nightwear darkening her light red skin to a deep maroon color. "There is no reason for him to be embarrassed. Nothing happened," she said adamantly. "We only slept together. We  _slept_. Nothing of a sexual nature happened."

"What?!" Den exclaimed. He looked at me wide-eyed. "You two slept together?"

I laid down on my cot and groaned. "Magash. He was telling me about the kiss. Something you forgot to mention. Thanks for letting him know we ended up in bed together."

Den doubled over in laughter. "This story is getting better and better by the moment."

"Don't tell Jax or Sacha," I begged him.

It took him a few minutes to stop laughing. "But it is such a good story."

Magash walked over to Den and placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a beseeching gaze. "A true friend keeps confidences."

"Arrggghhh," Den groaned. "I don't know if I can hold in such hilarious secret."

Magash crossed her arms across her chest and scowled. "I will make a deal with you. If you keep this secret from Jax, Sacha and Norro I will tell you how I-Five ended up in my room and how he reacted when he woke up next to me confused as to why he was there."

"Ohh ho ho," Den gave a toothy grin. "I like that deal."

I waved my hands at Magash. "Wait. Why would you make such an agreement?"

She grinned mischievously. "Because I don't know if I can hold in such a hilarious secret."

I threw up my hands in defeat. At least I only had to deal with Den knowing all the details.

.

.

**_Entry 33_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

We spent the day watching news reports and waiting for Sondra's father to contact us.

The initial newscasts said there was a fire at the Drogan Medical Building. A second report mentioned two people were removed from the building in an ambulance. About an hour later Ralf Soren, Sondra's father, contacted us elated that his daughter had been found. He thanked us and promised to wire us the full payment for our services.

Sacha had done some research on the other women and was able to ascertain their locations based on their new identities. She contacted the various people searching for their relatives and provided them the information on their whereabouts and where to wire the reward money if our information lead to the discovery of their lost loved ones. She had set up an untraceable shell company to funnel monetary transactions. She said she called the business  _Confidential Security Services_.

The news of a possible slavery ring caused a major uproar on the planet. When a reporter commented that the Empire was looking into the matter and was sending an Inquisitor to investigate, we decided it was best to watch this story unfold somewhere other than on Phindar. Ralf Soren had provided us with enough money for fuel, food and other supplies to last at least a month. If any of the other reward money came in we might be set for two or three months…long enough for us to find other employment.

.

.

**_Entry 34_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

We are currently on our way to Yavin IV, a forested moon orbiting an orange gas giant called Yavin. The habitable moon is on our short list of possible worlds to settle down on. To ensure we are not followed we have taken the precaution of making a number of short hyperspace jumps on the way to Yavin IV. Whenever we exited hyperspace we downloaded as much information about the ongoing investigation on Phindar. The news reports were difficult to watch. There was a lot of finger pointing, crying relatives and confused victims. When I found Sacha on the flight deck gazing at her datapad and crying I knew something bad had transpired.

I put my hand on her shoulder and looked over to the datapad. "Sacha, what happened?"

She pulled back a wayward wisp of her black hair as she wiped tears from her eyes. She gazed up at me with a heartbroken expression as she struggled to regain her voice. "I know none of this is our fault, but some of these women that were given new memories married and are either currently pregnant or already had a baby with their new husband."

"Oh," I whispered sadly. "Well, their husbands didn't know about their wives' backgrounds did they? If the men are innocent and the women truly love them, they could stay married."

Sacha ran a hand over her face in frustration. "Two of the women were previously married and had children with their original husbands. They now face the fact that they have two families and they are torn as to what to do. They don't remember their past life or children…but their kids remember their mother."

My shoulders slumped at the news. We thought it would be all happy reunions, but that doesn't seem to be the case with the exception of maybe the last two women kidnapped. "How about the others?"

Sacha shook her head. "Two of them were legitimate patients of the clinic. One was trying to forget a decade of child abuse and the other was trying to escape the memories of years of domestic violence perpetrated against her by a possessive and psychotic ex-husband. Now that their families know where they live the women are vulnerable to future harassment."

I dropped down into the copilot seat next to her. "I'm sorry Sacha."

She nodded sadly. "At least the kidnapping ring was uncovered and I heard three men are in custody."

I gave a weak smile. "That's something good."

"Yeah, but the Drogan Medical facility is under attack and being sued by the victims. It doesn't look like they knew about the criminal activities, but they own the building and the equipment used to erase the memories. They are temporarily closed and may never reopen. It is just another victim of this crime ring."

I reached over and put a reassuring hand on her arm. "Sacha, I feel bad for the two women who went to the clinic for help on their own. Hopefully they can get personal protection orders to keep their dysfunctional family members and ex-husband away from them, but the other cases should have come to light. I know it is difficult for the women, but they have a right to know and their families deserve to know the truth. The children from their previous lives must have been suffering. They probably thought their mother was dead or she abandoned them. This is a very bad situation...and it was not created by us."

She looked down and rubbed her hand over her baby bump. "It must be awful having a baby and then losing the memory of his existence and now you are torn between two families…two lives. Maybe it would have been better if they remained oblivious."

I sighed deeply realizing her pregnancy was making this situation so much harder for her to handle. "Sacha, the problem was escalating. You heard what the kidnapper said. He wanted the women's memories erased quicker and he was willing to risk damage to their brains thinking he could sell them to brothels. He didn't care if the machine left them as empty shells. The situation was devolving into something beyond depraved and cruel. You have to think of all the potential future victims we saved."

She nodded sadly as she turned off her datapad. "You're right."

We both sat quietly for some time before she spoke again. "With all that has been happening I never got the chance to say how proud I am of you…overcoming your fears and switching bodies just to help strangers." She gave me a furtive glance. "How are you holding up…emotionally?"

I gave a faint smile. "I'm doing better. I still have memories of growing up human, but I know the truth. It is hard to not accept reality when your brain is put into a servo droid. I'm a droid. I know it. I accept it. Hopefully one day I will self-repair and I will stop having these false memories."

She stared at me for a long moment before tentatively broaching a sensitive subject. "Is that what you want? To regain your droid memories and give up your belief that you are human?"

I nodded. "I want to remember  _what I am..._ to remember my true life experiences because those events created  _who I am_  today."

She reached over and gave me a friendly pat on my arm. "I can understand that because who you are today is a truly remarkable person."

I simply nodded as we fell back into companionable silence.

.

.

**_Entry 35_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

We arrived at Yavin IV later the next day and, I must admit, I was fairly disappointed with the planet. As far as I could tell it was devoid of a human population although sensors indicate there was an abundance of animal life. The moon was covered with thick rainforest and it took a while for Den and Sacha to locate a clearing in the jungle big enough to land our ship.

As we approached the landing area we saw what looked like a stone structure poking out from the forest canopy. Since it was approximately five kilometers from our landing site, we decided to investigate upon landfall. We dressed in camouflaged jumpsuits infused with an insect repellant called Prokillian that claims to repel most blood-sucking and biting insects. I don't put much stock in that boast, especially when I know there are some insects in this galaxy big enough to bite a man's head off.

All of us wore blasters, even Norro, who was thrilled to carry a small holdout blaster. Sacha, Magash and Jax also carried their lightsabers. Of course, Den insisted on lugging the largest blaster rifle we have—which gave Norro a severe case of blaster envy. I, ironically, carried an ion blaster. It was a weapon used to disable battlefield technology, including war droids…or any droid for that matter. I also shouldered a large pack with food and a ten-liter water bladder. It was enough supplies to get us to the structure we saw and back.

As the loading ramp lowered and I immediately sensed this world's high humidity and brutal heat. I wasn't affected by the weather but I could see my companions flinch at the oppressive temperatures.

The next thing I noticed was the reason there was a clearing in a huge jungle—Farmer Antz. They are relatively harmless to people, but they can devastate flora.

Magash noticed the antz and turned to me. "Are they dangerous?"

"No, but we should close up the ship after we debark so we don't pick up any stowaways."

We walked to the bottom of the ramp and then ran to the edge of the clearing while Sacha used a remote to close up the ship. Because the planet did not have a global positioning system and a compass was useless due to the moon's weak and mutable magnetic field my friends looked to me to find the stone structure. Of course I don't remember how to use my droid brain to calculate a path to the buildings, but Den assured me I could do it naturally—he called it 'dead-reckoning'. In other words I could use visual clues such as the position of the sun, the gas giant looming in the sky, and distance computations to find the way…even if I didn't know how my brain is doing it.

I readjusted my pack as I stepped out into the forest. I really hope Den is right.


	15. Chapter 15

**_Entry 36_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

After about thirty meters I had to give up the lead position to Jax and Sacha who used their lightsabers to hack a way through the dense underbrush. Magash and I followed our lightsaber-wielding friends at a safe distance. I had no desire for a third decapitation. Norro and Den were taking up the rear. I haven't spoken much with Magash since that awkward night that I woke up in her bed. I think both of us would rather not discuss that embarrassing situation. Still, I should broach the subject. The longer we avoid each other the more difficult it will be to rekindle our easygoing friendship.

"I meant to ask you," I whispered to Magash. "Has Jax or Sacha mentioned anything about that night I was in your room?"

She shook her head. "Sacha only asked me about your mental condition and if you still thought we were married."

I chuckled. "Did you tell her I no longer have delusions of things that can never be?"

Magash frowned. "Are you still obsessing over your assumed limitations as a droid?"

I blew out a breath. I forgot she momentarily was privy to my despondent thoughts while I occupied the servo droid body. "No. I'm not obsessing. I have come to terms with my condition…and legally I do have limitations. I am a droid. I cannot become a citizen in this galaxy, nor can I legitimately marry. This is a fact. I have accepted it and I am no longer troubled by the thought. I believe my brain is self-healing and the false memories of being a human are slowly fading. I suspect the aberrations within my consciousness will disappear soon."

She gave a curt nod. "That is good."

"Yes, it is." I said the words, but didn't entirely believe them. I was fearful that my relationship with the others would be diminished once my memories completely returned. Would I continue to act as I have in the last few weeks or would I suddenly behave as an impassive protocol droid?

"Magash…you remember me before my first accident. Do I act more human now or am I about the same?"

She glanced over to me and grinned. "You are less sarcastic. I believe you used sarcasm to avoid dealing with the various emotions you were experiencing. It is my belief that after your accident—when you became convinced you were human—you gave yourself permission to express emotions you've always possessed. Now that you are dealing with your emotional side, I doubt any of us will notice a difference in your personality once your brain is completely healed."

"That is good to know." I pushed aside some low-lying branches so Magash and I could proceed through the heavy forest. "I apologize for ignoring you. I felt it was best to let things die down before we are seen together…interacting."

Her lips twitched into smile. "Understandable. Our friends enjoy teasing one another."

"That's an understatement."

As we moved deeper and deeper into the jungle I came to the conclusion that this was not an acceptable world to settle on. Without towns or a docking port we would be forced to purchase all of our supplies off world or find a way to survive in the wild. I know Magash and possibly Norro are quite capable of doing so, but the rest of us are accustomed to civilization.

"Jax," I called out to my friend. "I don't think this planet will suit our needs. The jungle is too dense to farm, I can hear a number of large, possibly dangerous, animals in this forest and we don't have a spaceport to refuel and get repairs done. If our ship breaks down on this planet we are trapped. We could use the transponder to call for help, but we won't know who will show up to rescue us."

Jax wiped a hand across his brow as sweat poured down his face and drenched the top of his jumpsuit. I looked around to my friends and it appeared I was the only person not suffering from the heat. I guess there are some benefits to being a droid.

"I came to that conclusion also, but I'd like to see the stone structures. They look like old pyramids or temples. This is the location where Anakin Skywalker crashed his custom Starfighter and fought against Asajj Ventress. He told me he had knocked her off one of the pyramids and left her for dead." Jax turned to Magash. "Ventress was supposedly a Dathomiri Nightsister that trained to be Sith."

I shook my head. "In other words, morbid curiosity is driving us forward at this point."

Jax gave an apologetic shrug of the shoulder. "I guess so. You all can go back to the ship if you want."

We all looked to each other knowing nobody was going to leave Jax in the jungle alone. "We have about another kilometer to go." I pointed to the distance. "That way."

.

.

**_Entry 37_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

We arrived at the stone pyramid about an hour later. The structure was massive and constructed out of huge megalithic stones, some as large as fifty meters in length. The pyramid rose above the jungle floor by at least two hundred meters and towered over the surrounding forest. Cut into the base of the pyramid were cavernous chambers large enough to house starships.

Den gave a disbelieving whistle. "This might not be a good place for us, but the Antarian Rangers could definitely use this pyramid as a base of operations."

"I agree." I turned to Jax. "Perhaps we should attempt to contact the Rangers and inform them of this world's potential as a secret base."

Jax didn't respond right away. He stared blankly at the temple apparently deep in thought. "I don't know. Something doesn't feel right." He looked to Sacha and Magash. "Do you feel it?"

Both women gazed at the pyramid for a long pause before nodding. "I barely feel it," Magash admitted. "But my Force abilities are not as strong as a trained Jedi."

"What is it?" I asked. I realize they were probably sensing something in the Force but I wanted to know what they were feeling.

"The darkside," Jax whispered.

I looked to Jax and then back to the pyramid. "You said Anakin and Ventress fought here. Could you be sensing some residual darkside forces from them? They were both Sith."

Jax shook his head. "I am sure Anakin was not dark at that time and I doubt Ventress, even if she died here, had a darkside presence this strong."

I pulled out my ion blaster. It was made to disable droids, but it would also work on a person's neurological system. "Could it be an Inquisitor?"

Jax took a step backwards away from the pyramid. "It may be. Something very dark is inside." He looked to all of us. "I think we should leave."

There was no argument. Seeing Jax spooked got everybody on edge. We turned and start backtracking to the ship. Jax motioned to Norro and Den. "Take the lead. Magash, Sacha and I will pull rear guard just in case we're being followed."

Den nodded as he hefted his large blaster up into the port arms position and followed the trail of slashed vegetation back to the ship. Norro was next to him nervously pointing his blaster at every snap of a twig and chirp of an insect.

"Norro, I will take point if you like," I offered.

Norro frowned as he gave me a backwards glance. "Don't worry. Den and I will protect everybody."

Den chuckled under his breath. "Yeah, we'll make sure our three lightsaber wielding, Force strong friends remain safe." He gave me a wink. "We'll also protect our droid friend who has the strength of ten men."

"I believe I have the strength of twenty men," I said matter-of-factly.

Den gave an amused snort. "Twenty? Wow, who are you trying to impress?" He gave Magash, walking a few meters behind me, a furtive glance. "Never mind. I know the answer to that."

I frowned. "Norro has never fired a weapon. I have. I should be leading with you."

The young man's face fell and I realized I had offended him. "I can do this," he insisted.

Before I could respond there was a snap of branches to our left and I noticed movement. Norro panned his blaster toward the noise and started shooting. This caused Den to startle and he started unloading blaster bolts from his oversized weapon in the direction Norro was firing. Trees and bushes burst into smoking fragments, birds flew away in all directions and a group of unidentified primates screamed from the treetops.

"Cease fire!" Jax screamed at my jittery friends. It took a few more shots but eventually Den and Norro lowered the weapons and peered into the smoking remains of a dozen trees. There was a second of silence before the loud clamoring of birds and insects sounded throughout the jungle. "What were you shooting at?" Jax asked Norro.

The young man pointed toward a large tree. "I saw movement. Something white…maybe a clonetrooper."

Jax turned to Den. "What were you shooting at?"

Den looked embarrassed. "I was shooting at whatever he was shooting at."

Jax took a deep breath and blew it out. "Everybody stay here. I-Five and I will check it out." He motioned to me to follow and we slowly moved forward to the smoldering stumps and burning underbrush. I had my blaster out and my friend activated his lightsaber. When we got closer I spotted Norro's white intruder. I reached down and pulled up a silvery, long eared creature…or what was left of the poor animal. "It appears to be a species of Lagomorph."

"Lagomorph?" Jax asked.

I smiled slightly. "A bunny."

Jax looked around and closed his eyes for a moment. I assume he was reaching out in the Force looking for the enemy. Eventually he opened his eyes and shook his head. "I don't sense anything else around here."

I tossed the rabbit back to the ground and wiped my hand on my trousers. "Is there any chance that what you sensed at the pyramid was actually a cute and furry darkside Sith rabbit?"

"No, but if it was an Inquisitor there is no way he couldn't notice the racket we just created. Let's get out of here."

We turned and ran back to our friends. "False alarm. It was just an animal." Jax looked to Norro. "Don't shoot at anything else." At that point we all practically ran back to the ship. If we have an Inquisitor on our trail we were in big trouble.

.

.

**_Entry 38_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

As we left Yavin IV we scanned for other ships, but didn't find any indications that anyone else recently travelled to the planet. Still Jax was agitated. For the last year we've had an inordinate amount of run-ins with Inquisitors and other Imperial nasties. He was sure the Empire had a discovered a way to track Force-users.

We did multiple short jumps until we came to a major trade route. At that time we decided to check out the next world on our list of possible planets to relocate—Myrkr. There wasn't much information on the planet, but there was a one major population center named Hyllyard City. Humans immigrated to the planet thousands of years ago, but the forest-covered world was still sparsely populated. It did have a small spaceport and there was no reports of an Imperial garrison in the area. It was worth a look.

Currently I was on the flight deck with Den. It was late in the sleep cycle and the remainder of the crew was resting. I decided to keep my friend company since slumber was not a necessity for me.

"Do you really think an Inquisitor was on the planet?" I asked Den.

My friend shrugged his shoulders. "I don't think so, but they felt something in the Force…something dark…so it is best that we left."

"I agree."

We sat in silence for about thirty minutes before Den looked over to me with a look of concern. "How are you holding up since our mission on Phindar?"

"I am fine." I looked away from Den. "I look forward to regaining my memories and letting things return to normal."

"It'll happen. You regained all you memories once before and that was after a memory wipe."

"You said that took years."

He nodded. "It did."

I thought about that for a long moment before deciding to change the subject. "I guess I can move back into the cabin. I am not averse to sitting in a chair as you said I did before my accident."

Den looked a little surprised. "Are you sure?"

"There is no reason for me to stay in the cargo area."

Den shrugged. "I don't know. Magash lives in that large storage room in the cargo area. She probably feels less lonely knowing you're outside."

I closed my eyes in frustration. "Are you going to continue to tease me about my friendship with Magash?"

He turned in his seat to face me fully. "I'm not teasing. She might find it depressing that everyone on the ship can actually live in the nice crew quarters and she is relegated to an area that is not as noise-insulated or as comfortable as the rest of the ship. I also think she may feel isolated after living decades in close proximity with her clan sisters."

"We have offered to give her the cabin," I reminded him.

Den shook his head. "And she refused because she doesn't want to displace me and Norro."

I wasn't sure if Den's notion had any merit or not, but I thought there was something else going on. "I doubt Magash feels lonely or uncomfortable with her living situation. Tell me, is there a reason you don't want me back in the room?"

He chuckled. "I didn't want to tell you, but when you did stay in there, Norro would wake up and find you staring at him. He doesn't like the idea that of you watch him sleep."

I shook my head. "I don't remember doing that, but if I did it is more likely I looked toward him when I heard him stirring in bed."

"That's what I told him."

I thought the situation over and decided to remain in the storage area. "I'll keep things as they are for now."

Den dipped his head in acknowledgement. "Hopefully Myrkr doesn't give Jax and the ladies the darkside jitters."

"And that we can find employment."

Den nodded. "Yeah, that too."


	16. Chapter 16

**_Entry 39_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

We arrived to Myrkr late the next day. It is a beautiful green world with lush forests punctuated with freshwater lakes and rivers. Hyllyard city is larger than I expected. I guess it grew in population since the last census. That's a good thing because a healthy population often requires traders to provide them with items not manufactured in the area. Food, drink, furniture, repair parts, electronics and jewelry are often traded from planet to planet. Hopefully we can establish a trade business on this world.

The  _Laranth_  is a Helix-class light interceptor, which is basically an armed freighter. We have the capacity to haul up to thirty-five metric tons of cargo. Depending on what we transported we should easily be able to make a living as traders. We could make more money if one or two of us held jobs planetside. I don't know if I am employable. Unless I can convincingly portray myself as human, I doubt anybody would hire me. Instead an employer would expect Jax to lease me out for money…after all, who has heard of a sentient droid? I doubt Norro will be able to hold a job. He is still learning basic and his grasp of the written language is tentative at best.

We received docking instructions and landed our ship at Hyllyard's large spaceport. Upon landfall we prepared to explore this new world. Jax took all the lightsabers and locked them away in a secret compartment in his cabin. The last thing we needed was custom agents inspecting the ship and finding such incriminating evidence.

It turned out to be an unnecessary precaution. We met the custom agent near the building exit and all he asked us was if we were transporting any Hanava fruit. Supposedly there has been a problem with greddleback termites infesting the fruit and later wiping out any forest they came in contact with. Shockingly, that was the only thing he was interested in. We could have had a bay full of spice and thermal detonators and he probably wouldn't care.

We passed through customs and split up so we could cover more ground. We had downloaded from the holonet a list of import-export businesses in the area. Hopefully one of the establishments would have a need for honest cargo haulers. Jax and Sacha went one way and Magash, Norro and I went in the opposite direction.

The first business owner we talked to said he would be interested, but we would have to pay for the cargo upfront because too many of his pilots take his money and are never seen again. We took down the owner's contact information and went to the next establishment on the list. As we moved down the bustling street we passed a number of diners and quick food establishment. I noticed Norro was looking at the shops and I could hear his stomach rumbling. I stopped and looked at the boy. "Norro are you hungry?"

He grinned. "When am I not hungry?"

I laughed as I pulled some credits out of my trouser pockets. "Here's some money. Go and get something to eat." I pointed to a warehouse across the street. "Magash and I will be in that building over there."

"Thanks!" he said as he rushed to diner called  _The Bantha Grill_. Above the door was a logo of a cartoonish smiling bantha holding a knife and fork and hungrily gazing at a plate of thick bantha steaks.

Magash looked to where I was staring and laughed. "I can't wait to see the logo for the butcher shop."

I snickered as we made our way to the next business. Unfortunately the owner had the same policy as the last. We would have to pay for the cargo he needed up front. At least this owner said after we became established traders with a good reputation he would consider changing that policy. It was a bit disappointing because we don't have large amounts of credits to purchase cargo upfront. Still, it was better than nothing. We spent about a half hour with the man and got a list of items he purchases regularly, a list of off world suppliers and what he usually pays for the goods. We thanked him and walked over to the diner. Norro was sitting at a table finishing up a sandwich when we entered. He waved to us excitedly as he threw away his trash and ran up to us. "I got a job!"

I was taken aback by this information. "Where? Here?"

He nodded animatedly. "Yeah, they need line cooks and people to work the register."

Magash looked to me and then to the boy. "Did you tell them you were learning to read and write Basic?"

He grinned. "Yeah, they told me it was no problem. The register has little drawings of the items on the buttons and all the instructions in the cooking areas have little drawings to go along with the text." He handed me a flimsiplast form and ink stylus. "I do have to put in an official application. Can you help me with that?"

"Umm…sure." We all sat down and I filled out the form. "Norro Pavan. Date of birth." I wrote down the fake birthdate Norro had on his official Phindar identification. "We'll have to put down the ship's docking bay as your home for now. Tell the manager you will give him a permanent address soon."

As I filled out the remainder of the application Norro continued to chatter happily. "They said they would train me to cook? Can you believe that? I don't have to pay them to train me. They will do it for free. And I get free lunch and dinner here. Also, if there is any prepared food at the end of my shift that has been sitting around for five minutes or longer I can take it…for free! Isn't this amazing? I also get a uniform and a disposable chef hat. They said they would work around my school hours. Does that mean I can go to a real school with other kids? Oh, and I get paid five credits an hour, but after two months I can get a raise if I'm a good worker!"

Magash was having trouble keeping a straight face and I broke out in a wide grin. Norro's excitement was contagious.

I am happy that at least one crew member is gainfully employed.

.

.

**_Entry 40_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

We have been on Myrkr for a week and so far things have gone very well. We received more reward money for locating the missing women we identified on Phindar. It is enough to purchase cargo upfront for a trade run. Den got a part time job writing stories for the local Holonet news broadcasts. Norro has his part time job at the diner and we recently enrolled him in a public secondary school in Hyllyard City. Sacha and I have continued tutoring him how to read and write Basic. He is a quick and eager learner and I have no doubt he will do well in school. Since two in our group have planetside jobs we are looking to rent a house. We have been living in our ship, but now Den and Norro will need a place to sleep when we go on our cargo runs.

The first apartment we looked at was within the city limits. Unfortunately it was infested with vermin. The second home was just outside the city limits on the edge of the forest. Den and I liked the home but the others said something about it just didn't feel right. As my friends toured the home I found Jax standing in the backyard staring blankly at the thick, green forest adjacent to the back property line.

"Do you sense something dark?" I asked him.

He shook his head. "No, I don't sense much and that is odd because there should be an abundance of life in such a big forested area."

My continued memory loss precludes me from utilizing my infrared optical sensors, but I still have acute hearing. I cocked my ear toward the forest and could distinctly perceive the chatter of birds. "I hear wildlife."

My friend continued to gaze at the trees. "I can sense some life, but there should be much, much more."

I made a step toward the treeline. "Should we investigate?"

Jax grabbed my arm holding me back. "No, it could be some sort of contamination killing or frightening off the animals." His jaw tightened as he closed his eyes in deep concentration. I assumed he was reaching out with the Force. After a long moment he sighed and opened his eyes. "I really don't understand this. I have felt the Force muted this way on worlds with limited plant and animal life…deserts or frozen worlds…but even if the animals were not present, I should sense the Force flowing through the trees and other vegetation." He looked back to the rental home and then to the treeline. "Until we figure out what is going on we might want to avoid the forest. With my luck there might be a midichlorian killing fungus living out there."

We turned and walked around the perimeter of the home. "Midichlorians give a Jedi his power, correct?"

Jax nodded.

"One does not need to have midichlorians to create the Force…just to sense it. In that case it is doubtful your hypothesis is correct, unless the local fauna and flora possess midichlorians and they are blocking their Force signature."

Jax gave me a weak shrug. "There are some Force sensitive trees and plants, but they are rare."

We came around to the front yard just as our friends were exiting the main entrance. Although Norro didn't look very perturbed, Magash and Sacha carried expressions similar to the one Jax had while staring at the forest. We told the homeowner we wished to discuss the home in private. We all walked to the backyard where the women and Jax once again became transfixed with the surrounding forest.

"It's like it is devoid of life," Magash muttered.

Sacha gave a visible shutter before turning to Jax. "I don't want to raise a baby around the forest until we figure out what is going on."

Jax nodded his head. "I agree." He turned to Den and me, "I know you can't feel what's out there, but it is like a dead zone. It is an absence in the Force that shouldn't exist. There is obviously plenty of life to fuel a Force energy field. I think we should continue looking at houses."

We all agreed to continue our house-hunting search.

.

.

**_Entry 41_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

We finally found a three-bedroom rental home on the edge of the city and butting up against farmland and hundreds of acres of wheat crop. Jax did not feel an absence of the Force at this location. He suspects the trees or the ground in the forest might contain some type of chemical or mineral that disrupts and dampens the flow of the Force.

I asked him if he has ever experienced such a thing. He said not personally, but he has heard of some stones and crystals that could radiate a Force barrier.

The home is in good repair and affordable. Jax and Sacha share a room. Den and Norro room together and the smallest room went to Magash. Den and Norro invited me to share their room, but I don't see the need. I will be perfectly comfortable on the sitting room couch.

.

.

**_Entry 42_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

Jax, Sacha, Magash and I are currently on shipment run to Zeltros. Sacha is excited at the chance to visit a planet known for its extravagant wealth and beauty, but I can tell Jax is uneasy about this trip...and I can understand his reluctance. A Zeltron named Dejah Duare—a woman he considered a friend and comrade—betrayed him to Darth Vader. Jax believes she used her potent pheromones to cloud his judgment. I do not completely agree with his hypothesis. My protocol droid body was immune to any exuded mind-altering chemicals, but I was also blindsided by her duplicity. Her treacherous actions have colored the way Jax now perceives Zeltrons. I don't believe he sees the species as innately devious; he simply doesn't have faith in his ability to ward off their pheromones. Jax is a trained Jedi; he likes being in full control of his mind and body. He has asked me to do the haggling for the consumables and luxury goods on our acquisition list just incase a scheming merchant decided to use his pheromones to get the best price out of us.

While on this supply run Den remained on Myrkr watching over Norro, although I don't believe the boy will have much time to get in trouble. He is now enrolled in the local secondary school and is working at the restaurant after school. He enjoys both activities very much. He often comes home with excited stories about his classes, his work and the friends he has made.

Norro is a great inspiration to me. He faced overwhelming adversity and suffering on Despayre, but instead of wallowing in the depths of depression and hopelessness, he overcame his hardships and truly appreciates the simple things in life.

I am thankful that Jax freed him from the prison planet.

.

.

**_Entry 43_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

Our visit to Zeltros went exceptionally well. I negotiated with a number of merchants for various goods and was able to purchase items at a fair price. Jax, Sacha and Magash accompanied me to the negotiations but they stayed at the back of the room and remained silent. At one point they excused themselves and left me alone with the proprietor. Later I was informed that the merchant was exuding so many pheromones that they didn't trust themselves not to interfere with the transaction. Their account explains why the Zeltron I was negotiating with appeared so flustered and confused. He obviously was not aware he was dealing with a droid.

After we had the cargo loaded on the ship we took some time to visit some of the local tourist attractions. We toured a number of ancient buildings, museums and a highly impressive public garden with hundreds of species of flowers in bloom.

At one point Jax purchased a small bouquet of flowers for Sacha. Upon receiving the gift Sacha smiled widely and kissed Jax ardently. At that moment I was unsure if this is something women expect from their male companions. I looked over to Magash who was observing the exchange with a dejected expression on her face. I put a hand on her shoulder and smiled. "You look sad. Do you desire a bouquet?"

She smiled softly and shook her head. "No, it's not that."

"What is it then?

She waved me off with a laugh. "It's nothing."

She appeared normal after that, but I had the distinct impression that the 'nothing' was definitely a 'something'. I decided to continue our discussion once we returned to the privacy of our ship.

 

**.**

**.**

**_Entry 44_ **

**_Recovered memory_ **

We left Zeltros today. The trip was a success, providing enough profit to support us for at least two weeks. If we can acquire weekly cargo runs we should have no difficulty paying rent and purchasing groceries. This type of life is not as exciting as fighting Sith Lords, but the pay is much better.

I thought this mundane existence would bore Jax, but he appears to be overly occupied with Sacha and the pending birth of his first child. It is Magash that seems restless and unfulfilled by our new occupation.

Once we were in hyperspace and our course set for Myrkr I decided to discuss my observations with my friend. Although Magash was offered the empty cabin that Den and Norro usually occupied, she demurred and opted to stay in her large utility room in the cargo space. It was there I found her after dinner.

She answered my knock on her quarter's door and smiled widely while ushering me inside. "Please come in." She gestured to a chair near her bed. "Sit down." She sat at the edge of her bed and looked at me expectantly. "I thought you might want to talk."

I gave a confused expression as I took a seat. "Really? I didn't realize I was projecting my intentions in any way."

She gave a slight shrug of her shoulders. "You looked concerned since we left Zeltros." She gazed at me intently. "Are you well?"

I chuckled as I gazed at the deck. "To be honest, I thought you were upset about something. When Sacha and Jax are in a playful mood your normally upbeat disposition appears to falter."

Her face turned a dark red as she looked away. "I wasn't aware I was giving that impression." She gazed back looking flustered. "I'm not interested in Jax, if that's what you think. Jealously is not a factor."

I sat back in my chair perplexed. Never did I believe Magash coveted Jax for herself…at least not since he started dating Sacha. "I didn't think that. You simply looked sad."

She heaved a deep sigh and remained silent for such a long pause that I assumed I overstepped some human or Zabrak social boundary by discussing this topic. I stood and motioned toward the door. "I do not wish to pry into a sensitive topic." I took a step toward the exit. "I'm sorry if I offended you in anyway."

"No, stay." She stood and put a hand on my shoulder and guided me back to my seat. "Perhaps I should talk to a friend about this." She sat down on the bed facing me as she drew in a slow, calming breath. "I am thinking about returning to Dathomir."

"What?" I exclaimed in a near panic. I have grown very fond of Magash and I did not like the idea of her leaving. "Why?"

She chewed on her bottom lip while contemplating her answer. "When I see Sacha and Jax together and so much in love I realize I will never have that. I am torn by conflicting emotions. I wish to fit into a society where men and women bond and raise a family, but I have found it impossible to break through my early conditioning. On Dathomir women do not live and raise children with their breeding male." She frowned deeply and she blew out a breath. "I would like to have a daughter one day, but I do not wish to raise her alone. It is best that I return to my clan, have a child there, and raise her among my sisters."

This was all a little overwhelming, but I was especially caught off guard by her reference to only a female child. "What if you have a boy?"

Her face saddened. "If I am on Dathomir, once weaned, a son would be raised in the men's encampment." She gestured toward the front of the ship. "I could not raise a son like Jax and Sacha can. That is not an option in my society."

I was a little confused as to what the problem was. She was a beautiful woman who could easily find a willing male to assist in the conception of a child and she would not be alone—Jax, Sacha, Den, Norro and I would all be there to assist in child rearing duties. "You could have a baby on Myrkr and all of us would help you raise the child," I pointed out the obvious.

She shook her head. "I would always feel like an outsider." She gazed at me with sad eyes. "On most worlds in this galaxy, men and women form lasting bonds. If I stay I will always be confronted with something I cannot have. I have considered the possibility of finding a mate like Sacha has, but I have found it impossible to break free from of my social upbringing. It is better that I return."

"No," I said emphatically as I frantically tried to come up with a rational reason for her to stay. "If you want to overcome your childhood conditioning you can. You can have a life like Sacha and Jax have."

She shook her head, unconvinced. "How?"

I thought about it and an idea came to me. I leaned forward in my chair and stared deeply into her eyes. "Have you ever heard of exposure therapy?"

Her brow furrowed as she contemplated the question. "No, what is it?"

"It is when a person is exposed to an object or situation that gives them discomfort. They are exposed in a way that there is no danger and these exposures increase in duration until the person no longer experiences anxiety."

She looked completely confused. "You wish to expose men to me?"

I laughed as I leaned back in my chair. "That is not exactly what I have in mind, but it is close. Being around men regularly can change your perception of them. Already your contact with Jax has made you want to change your Dathomiri ways. This shows you are receptive to exposure therapy."

"But not in a bonding way," she pointed out. "Friends is one thing, but entering a romantic relationship and becoming a monogamous mate to a man is another thing entirely."

"True," I said with a nod. "But if you are slowly introduced to associating with a male, doing pre-mating rituals such as dancing, dinner…hugging, kissing…maybe you can overcome your aversion to bonding with a male."

Her eyes narrowed. "Where would I find a male for such an experiment?"

My droid brain is obviously still malfunctioning because the next thought that popped into my mind was outlandish. "I'd volunteer to help."

She gave me an incredulous expression. "What?"

I felt a sickening sense of panic settle over me as I fully realized what I had just suggested. "I'm not propositioning you!" I asserted. "The therapy has two main aspects to it. There is imagined exposure, which you can do on your own. You envision yourself in a bonded union with a male. The second part of the therapy is physical exposure. This means the repeated confrontation of situations that cause you distress…but in a way that they are not perceived as inherently dangerous or as objectionable." I put my hand to my chest and gave a weak smile. "You have told me you don't see me as an inferior male, but at the same time, I am an exact duplicate of a functional male and I am sentient. I believe I would make an adequate substitute for a male for this type of therapy."

"No," she whispered hoarsely, full of emotion. "I absolutely won't do that."

The smile slipped from my face as I averted my eyes in embarrassment. Eventually, I gave a slow, dejected nod of my head. "I apologize for making such a suggestion. I'm a droid. I can understand how an organic being might find that type of close interaction with a droid somewhat odious."

"Odious?" she said confused.

"Repugnant, disgusting," I clarified.

Her eyes went wide. "That is not the reason for my objection." She rung her hands nervously as a sad smile tugged at her lips. "I will not do it  _because_  I see you as a person. You are a person! I do not wish to toy with your emotions. I will not allow you to perform the function as a mate-substitute so I can one day find a companion on Myrkr to procreate and bond with. You have feelings. I sense them. Why would you wish to put yourself in such an emotionally compromising position? You would gain nothing from the therapy but heartache."

I shook my head. "That's not true. I would gain a better understanding of human nature." I paused for a moment, not sure if I wanted to say exactly what was on my mind. After a moment of hesitation I continued. "Magash, I am sentient. I want the same thing you do. I wish to have a bonded mate. I know I cannot father children, but I would like to form a life-long relationship with someone. My relationship with my friends and their children might be enough for me, but lately I am not sure. I want what Sacha and Jax have also…but to do that I would need to act and behave more human. I would have to win over a woman's heart with her knowing my inability to procreate. She would also have to overcome a innate aversion to forming a romantic bond with a machine, albeit a sentient machine." I needlessly took a deep breath and let it out. It was a human gesture apparently written into my HRD programing. "I'm not asking you to be that woman, I simply wish to practice being a more convincing human. I want to learn how to make a companion happy. This therapy would benefit both of us. We could learn much together, if you are willing."

Her expression was unreadable as I sat nervously awaiting her answer. Finally she responded.

"When do we start?"


	17. Chapter 17

**_Entry 45_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

To avoid any confusion Magash and I decided to inform our friends of our plans. We asked Sacha and Jax to join us at the galley dining table where we detailed the course of action we decided upon.

Jax at first smiled with a look of incredulity, but his grin quickly faded and was replaced by a perplexed expression.

"Let me see if I understand you." He gestured toward Magash and me. "You two decided to start dating and be a couple."

I thoroughly explained our plan to conduct exposure therapy with Magash and my need to practice being human, but my explanation was obviously lacking either clarity or substance, otherwise Jax would not have such difficulty grasping the concept. "On the surface it will look as if we are dating," I clarified. "But we will not be in a romantic relationship. We are approaching this in a clinical manner. What we plan is more analogous to conducting scientific trials."

"Scientific trials?" A wide grin crossed Jax's face. "Tell me, do these experiments involve osculation of the oral apertures?"

Sacha made an unladylike snort before she buried her head in her hands to stifle her laughter. Magash crossed her arms over her chest and simply glared at our friends. I gave Jax a forced smile before answering. "I suppose that might occur in the second or third phase of the experiment, but we have agreed to remain neutral and dispassionate throughout the process."

I have no idea why my comment prompted a second outburst of laughter from Sacha. "Good luck with that," she muttered under her breath.

"I do not understand your reaction to what I consider a well thought out plan of action."

Jax shook his head while chewing on his bottom lip in an effort to maintain his composure. "It's just…" He stopped for a second considering his words. "I don't think you've thought this out completely. Or maybe I just don't understand. " He leaned forward in his seat and gestured toward me. "You have agreed to practice having a romantic relationship with Magash so she might one day have a chance at a normal monogamous sexual relationship with a man instead of putting a rope around his neck and leading him to a Dathomiri grass hut to mate. Is that general concept?"

"No," Magash interrupted. "We do not use grass huts in our clan. We occupy the caverns within the Singing Mountain."

I experienced an involuntary roll of my eyes. "Thanks for clearing that up Magash."

She gave me a sideways glance. "Nightsisters live in huts. We are not that primitive." I believe she then realized she had commented on the wrong part of Jax's statement. She gave an embarrassed shrug of her shoulder and a faint smile. "But yes, we do place a symbolic rope around the neck of the selected breeding male before leading him to our living quarters."

Sacha dropped her head down to the table and crossed her arms over her head, but that did little to hide her amusement.

Jax continued. "And you wish to practice your courting technique because you decided you wish to attract a life companion."

I nodded my head. "I believe you understand. What I do not comprehend is your apparent objection to this endeavor."

Jax brought his hands up in a halting gesture. "Don't get me wrong. I'm all for this. I want Magash to stay with us and find a mate. I want you to find a companion, but I have to warn you, it is almost impossible to completely control your emotions." He gazed to Magash and then to me. "What if one of you falls in love with the other and the feelings are unrequited? This is a dangerous game you're playing."

Magash sighed deeply as she turned to face me. "I have expressed the same concerns to I-Five."

I lowered my head in thought. "There is nothing to worry about. I am a droid. I am certain I can control my HRD preprogramed emotions." I looked up to Magash and grinned. "Unless you fear becoming enamored with me."

To my delight she didn't argue the impossibility of that scenario. She returned my grin and said, "That is a chance I will have to take."

Jax threw his hands up in a mock gesture of surrender. "Hey, I hope everything works out for you two."

Sacha looked up at me and smiled. "I wish you two the best of luck also. You make a great team…and a cute couple."

I considered responding to that comment but then realized Sacha's made a very accurate and astute assessment of the situation. One cannot argue with the truth.

.

.

**_Entry 46_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

We returned to Myrkr and I discovered breaking the news to Den and Norro was far less challenging. Den grinned mischievously and requested daily updates on any scientific progress. Norro gave a puzzled expression and said, "I thought you two were already dating".

The decision was made, our friends were told of our plans…and I suddenly found myself bereft of any ideas as to how to proceed. How can a Dathomiri witch and a droid teach each other about romantic relationships? Neither of us have any experience.

Sacha suggested we watch her favorite romantic holovid with her and Jax. It was a romantic thriller called _Gorgeous Vixen_. Magash and I sat down next to each other on the couch while Jax and Sacha shared a recliner. The chair was not meant to seat two people but Jax seemed perfectly content to have Sacha sitting on his lap.

I have a hard time believing this holovid is Sacha's favorite. She barely glanced over to the holoprojector but instead kissed and whispered to Jax for the duration of the holo.

The Republic era holovid was about a young Jedi Knight who enlists the help of a high-class prostitute to infiltrate the Black Nebula crime syndicate. While working together they fall in love and have sexual relations at the most inopportune moments and in what I consider the most unsavory locations.

I looked over to Magash who appeared as confused with the plot as I was. She turned in her seat and looked over to Sacha who was snuggling up to Jax.

"I do not understand why, when being chased by killers, they decided to take off their clothing and have intercourse. They are now vulnerable to attack." Magash turned back to the vid and glared at the fornicating couple. "No Witch would allow a man to distract her in such a manner. She would be crouching with a knife and prepared to decapitate the men who are trying to capture her."

Sacha laughed. "That's not very romantic."

"Maybe not for you," Magash said softly. When I gave her a confused glance she clarified. "A Dathomiri warrior that has killed or driven off the enemy is rewarded with the best of the breeding stock."

I smiled with a nod. "That's good to know. Instead of a roses, I should instead provide a dozen bloodthirsty mercenaries for you to dispatch before feeding them to your ferocious Rancor."

She gave me a playful nudge with her elbow. "You are starting to understand Dathomiri women."

I chuckled and turned my attention to Jax. "I thought the Jedi were forbidden to form any romantic attachments."

Jax pulled his attention from Sacha long enough to answer. "It was forbidden, but it did happen. Usually the Jedi would be given the choice to leave his lover or leave the Jedi Order."

"Did Jedi get a formal education at the Temple?"

Jax's brow furrowed. "Of course they did."

I pointed to the holo where the young couple had just completed their mating ritual and were now redressing while frantically whispering to each other the need to hurry. "If this Jedi was given a proper education wouldn't he have realize having sexual relations with a prostitute would put him at a high risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease." I turned to him. "You did receive reproduction education, did you not?"

Jax started to look a little perturbed. "I took a biology class, but since we were expected to stay abstinent they didn't really get into the details concerning prophylactics or repress meds."

Sacha grinned while rubbing her belly. "Which explains why I got pregnant the first time we were together."

Jax made a humphing sound. "That's not true." He looked over to me. "Sacha and I were both on repress meds at the time of conception." He smiled at his lover "I think this baby was the will of the Force."

I was pulled away from our conversation when Magash made a frustrated sound. "They have twenty-seconds to disarm a bomb and now they are gazing into each other's eyes before kissing."

"Jax, do humans always act so irrational and reckless when in love?" I posed that question just as the Jedi rendered the bomb inert with a half second to spare.

Jax gave a shrug of his shoulders. "I think love brings out self sacrifice. We all have risked our lives to save each other."

I gazed at the man who I consider a brother and smirked. "Jax are you saying you  _love_  me."

He picked up the Holo remote and tossed it at my head. "Just watch the holo and learn something."

I caught the device easily and put it aside. "I have already learned much. To romance a Dathomiri witch I must put her into a situation where she can demonstrate her amazing hunting and slaying skills. When being pursued by assassins I should always take the time to indulge in carnal activities. In addition, I must wait until the last nanosecond to deactivate any explosive device because danger is an aphrodisiac to human females."

Jax gave me a thumbs-up. "I think you got it."

Sacha shook her head and rolled her eyes, letting me know that I most certainly did not  _'get it'_.

.

.

**_Entry 47_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

In the last few weeks I have thoroughly enjoyed participating in the exposure therapy/courting research. Magash and I decided the best course of action was simply to enjoy each other's company. We would have meals together (although I don't partake), go supply shopping with one another, and pursue recreational activities jointly. Initially we had planned on observing Jax and Sacha's interactions and mirror their behavior. Unfortunately, Sacha and Jax are too far along in their relationship to act as a model for early courtship standards. Magash needs a slow introduction to male-female courting behavior. Jax and Sacha's wooing techniques are far too advanced and innovative for Magash and I to duplicate at this point in the experiment.

This week we are to accompany Norro to a school picnic that is to take place on the shore of a scenic inland lake. When Norro initially told me about the event he was unsure about attending. After conversing with the young man I discovered his trepidation was over his scars and not wanting his friends to observe his disfigurement. I finally convinced him that it was perfectly acceptable to swim with a shirt on. "Wearing a shirt is sensible because ultraviolet light from a stellar body can cause damage to the skin of humans and other near human species," I informed him.

At that point Norro flexed his slim biceps and said with a smile, "Okay, I'll tell them I'm wearing a shirt because my stellar body might dazzle the ladies if I don't."

"By  _stellar body_  I am referring to a sun," I clarified.

Norro's smile turned to a broad, toothy grin. "That's right. I'm your son…with a stellar body." He broke out in laughter, amused by his own joke. "And since I am legally the son of Magash and Fyve Pavan will you two be there as my parents?"

I nodded. "I will be honored to attend as your father. I will ask Magash if she will be willing to pose as my wife for this event."

"Oh, I'm sure she will." He winked as if to say he knew something I didn't. "I've seen you two together all snuggly on the couch and watching holovids together."

I couldn't help but smile at that comment. It is an indication that Magash and I are successfully mimicking human/Zabrak romantic social behavior. "Norro, you do understand that Magash and I are not in an amorous relationship, but are instead conducting an experiment."

The young boy laughed out loud. "I learned about experiments in school. You start with an idea and then you do an experiment. If you get an expected result you have to repeat that experiment over and over before you can say it was truly successful and not some fluke." He gave me a mischievous grin. "So if you practice kissing you are going to have to repeat it over and over." He then puckered his lips and made a kissing noise.

I pointed down the hallway of our rented house. "That's enough of you. Go to your room young man." I tried to sound stern, but a tinge of levity could be heard in my voice.

Norro's face fell, unaware that I was teasing. "I was just joking, I-Five."

"So was I," I said with a smile. "I was practicing sounding like a father. Obviously my experiment was a success. Should I continue chastising you to ensure my initial result wasn't happenchance?"

My teenage  _'son'_  rolled his eyes and groaned. "No, I think you have perfected the uptight and overbearing parent persona."

I chuckled and reached out and gave his shoulder a friendly squeeze. "I'll talk to Magash. How about the rest of the family?"

He shrugged. "Everybody's invited. We are supposed to bring a dish to pass, but my boss at work donated frozen bantha burgers and buns, so we're covered."

I smiled warmly. "It sounds like fun." I gestured for him to follow me. "let's go talk to Magash."

As Norro predicted Magash was willing to accompany us to the event. This brought about a minor problem…what to wear and could I swim? "I do not own swimming shorts. I also cannot remember if my HRD body has enough buoyancy to make entering a lake prudent." I turned to Magash. "Do you own a swimming outfit?"

The corners of her mouth curved up slightly. "If I was to swim across a body of water during a hunt I would wear a water resistant body suit made of reptile skin and with leather straps to tie down my various weapons."

I chuckled. "Well, I don't believe we will need to do any stalking and killing of the enemy during a school outing. What would you wear for recreational swimming?"

She gave a light shrug of the shoulder. "The women in our clan would swim in the nude."

"Alright!" Norro said a bit too enthusiastically.

I elbowed him slightly on his side and made an expression of annoyance. "Please remember she is supposed to be your mother. The thought of seeing a parent unclothed usually disturbs most humans. Try to keep in character."

"Oh yeah, sorry." He looked a Magash while making an effort to scrunch up his face into a look of disgust. "Ewww! Mom! That's gross! Nobody wants to see you naked! Yuck!"

Magash frowned at the boy and I gave him another nudge with my elbow. "I think you were a little extreme with that statement."

Norro gave a mock look of surprise. "Oh I'm sorry. How about. Ewww! Mom, I don't want to see that." He gave me a furtive glance before breaking into a broad grin. "But other people might like seeing you unclothed."

My brow drew together in irritation as I turned to face the boy. "Norro…"

Before I could finish my sentence he was shuffling out of my way and down the hall. "I know, _'Go to your room!'_ " He laughed before disappearing into his bedroom.

I turned to Magash and smiled. "I think we need to go clothes shopping."


	18. Chapter 18

**_Entry 48_ **

**_Recovered memory_ **

Magash, Norro and I have just returned from the local clothing shop to purchase swimsuits. I had asked Den, Jax and Sacha if they wanted to go to the lakeside get-together but they declined the offer. Den said Sullustans, being a burrowing species, are not fond of standing water. Flooded warrens are a deadly catastrophe in their society and because of this the fear of drowning is the most common phobia among his people. Sacha declined saying pregnancy, the hot sun, and swimsuits are not a good combination. She told Jax he could go ahead without her, but he decided to stay at the house and relax.

So it was just the three of us at the apparel store looking for appropriate clothing. Norro picked out a pair of nondescript, knee length shorts to wear. I chose a similar garment, but Magash asked me to try on a different pair that she thought would be more visually appealing. I took the swimming garb and went into the dressing room while Norro and Magash waited outside on a small bench provided for the customers. When I exited Norro started laughing so raucously that he began to hyperventilate. I looked down at the outfit confused as to what he found so amusing.

"What?" I asked him.

He pointed to the tight, brief-cut swim outfit and grinned. "Can you get them any tighter? Wow! That suit leaves no doubt about the anatomical correctness of Human Replica Droids." He made a face and curled up his top lip in an expression of distaste. "And they're white!" He cringed with a shutter. "Gross. It looks like underwear."

I frowned at him. "Norro, when I said to stay in character I meant while around other people. There is no need to pretend while we are among ourselves."

He laughed. "Who's pretending?" He shook his head. "Please find something else."

Magash rolled her eyes before giving me the once over. "I find that cut rather pleasing to the eye. Plus, it is practical to wear tight clothing while swimming. It is harder for a predator to capture you if you do not have loose clothing for teeth to latch onto."

I turned to Magash and gave a placating expression. "Perhaps I should purchase a pair similar to Norro's. I do not wish to stand out at this event. I would like to keep secret the fact that I am a human replica droid."

"Yeah," Norro agreed. "Baggy is the way to go."

I nodded in agreement before changing back into my clothing. I then selected a pair of black boxer swim shorts to purchase.

Magash gave a shrug of her shoulders and picked out a few outfits to model. She disappeared in the dressing room for a few minutes and then came out wearing…almost nothing. It was a very skimpy two-piece swimsuit that caused something within my thoracic cavity to flutter.

"Oh Force!" Norro exclaimed before laughing. "You're supposed to be my mother, not a Kuat pleasure slave."

My eyes narrowed as I stared at Norro. "And what do you know of pleasure slaves?"

His eyes went wide before he gave me a sheepish look. "I grew up in a prison colony. I know a lot about a bunch of things that a kid my age shouldn't know about."

Magash looked at me expectantly. "What do you think?"

I stared at her blankly, not knowing what to say. It looked wonderful, but it was a bit too breathtaking. "I think it might be overly revealing for a school venue. Is there anything with…more fabric?"

She chuckled before she went back into the dressing room. A few minutes later she came out wearing a one-piece suit that was cut high on the hips. It also had a plunging neckline that gave a tantalizing glimpse of her cleavage. "What about this one?" she asked.

Norro looked over to me and smirked. " _Dad_ , you better bring a blaster. You are going to have to fight off all my male instructors once they get a look at  _Mom_."

The smile slipped from my face when the reality of the situation hit me. The goal for the exposure therapy was to locate a mate for Magash. What if she finds an interested suitor at the picnic? Am I going to have to endure a fictitious divorce to nullify our fabricated marriage and then be forced to watch her date some male instructor at Norro's school? It was a somewhat distressing thought. I have become very fond of Magash, but once she finds a mate I doubt a male suitor would tolerate my close association with her.

I thought back to my conversation with Jax. He said he didn't believe I thought this situation through…and perhaps he was correct. Although Magash appears to value my companionship and our goals are similar—wanting to find a life companion—there is one big difference; Magash wants a bonded mate to father a child with her. That is something I cannot do. No matter how close we become, her future belongs with a human or Zabrak, not with me. I will have to come to terms with the fact that soon I will have to distance myself from her so she can devote herself to an organic male.

I was pulled out of my musings by Magash waving hand in front on my face. "I-Five, what do you think of the swim outfit?"

I gave her a glum smile. "It is beautiful. All eyes will be on you."

**.**

**.**

**_Entry 49_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

After our last cargo run we used the profits to pay the rent, food and we purchased a pre-owned speeder. It was a fairly large speeder that can seat six people, plus there is a small cargo area in the rear. Norro refers to it as the lame family speeder. He wanted us to purchase a two-seater with retractable roof. Sacha vetoed that idea by asking if she was to put her future baby in the cargo compartment when she drove anywhere with Jax. This vehicle is perfect for us. The back seats can fold down into the floor making an enlarged cargo area. This allows it to double as a cargo speeder for our trading profession.

Today was the day of Norro's school picnic, so Norro, Magash and I boarded the speeder and drove to  _'The Bantha Grill'_  diner where we picked up the donated Bantha patties and buns from Norro's employer and placed them in a portable cooler at the rear of the speeder. When we arrived to the lake I was surprised by the amount of people at the outing. Entire families were present and represented ages from babies to what appeared to be grandparents.

I was relieved that I purchased the baggy swim trunks. Most of the men wore a similar type of swim garment. A few of the women were garbed in two-piece swimsuits, but the style was a bit more modest than the one Magash had tried on. Most women wore one-piece suits or simply shorts and a shirt. Magash and I opted to arrive at the event with our suits on under our tunic and trousers. Norro wore his swim pants and shirt and was ready to swim…that is if he knew how to swim. When researching the buoyancy of my chassis I decided to ask Norro if he had ever swam on Despayre. That is when I discovered he never swam in open water. I was going to keep him out of the lake, but Magash promised she would stay with him. She is a self-proclaimed excellent swimmer and I don't doubt her word.

I parked the vehicle and dropped the cooler at the nearest grill. Magash brought a blanket for us to sit on plus a small backpack with various items such as sunblock and pest repellant spray. As soon as we sat down Norro saw some of his friends wading in the water and ran up to them. I became nervous as he walked into the lake until the water was past his waist. Magash grinned at my fatherly concern and stood, "I will make sure he doesn't drown."

She stripped out of her trousers and tunic revealing her captivating bathing suit and toned body which resulted in a number of males turning to gaze at her beauty. Even the older teenage boys appeared entranced by her appearance. I cannot blame them. She is extremely stunning with dark shoulder length hair, piercing green eyes, and facial tattoos that give her an alluring and exotic appearance. She trotted off and waded out into the water making sure she kept a little distant from Norro so not to appear as an overly protective mother.

A few minutes passed before a man walked up next to me. "Is she your wife?"

I looked up to find an older gentleman blocking my sunlight. "Yes," I said as I stood and put my hand out in greeting. "Fyve Pavan. I'm Norro's adopted father."

The gray haired, bearded gentleman shook my hand with a smile. "I'm Jamen Lodden. I have Norro in my biology class. I was told he was a war orphan and is doing a lot of catching up when it comes to his education." He dropped his hand and stared out to the water. "He's a good kid. I've never seen someone with such a sense of wonder. He wants to learn everything."

"I am happy to hear that. We adopted Norro about a year ago. He had no formal education prior to the adoption. I have been teaching him to read and write basic."

"You are doing a good job." He raised his hand up to shield his eyes from the glare and gazed out to the lake. "Uh oh." He dropped his hand and turned to me. "You might want to introduce yourself to the two men talking to your wife. They're our local womanizers. They are extremely flirtatious, but they usually stay clear if a muscular husband is in the wings." He reached out and grabbed my hand and shook it. "I'll let you get to your wife. What's her name?"

"Magash."

"I'll let you go save Magash from our two foremost lecherous instructors." He stepped away and gave me a wave goodbye.

I turned and watched Magash interact with the two men. She didn't look distressed by their company. Perhaps the exposure therapy was working. I did not wish to interrupt her while socializing, but I did walk close enough to hear their conversation with my acute droid hearing.

"Yeah, I teach physical education at the school," the larger more muscular human said to Magash. "Hektor, over here," he pointed to a smaller but toned human male. "He's a mathematics instructor…meaning he's boring."

The smaller man rolled his eyes. "I think he means intelligent. My friend, Viscar, here finds academic pursuits tedious."

"No," Viscar disagreed with a smirk. "I love pursuing things."

I must admit I bristled with irritation when Viscar raked his gaze over my friend's body and eventually stopped to focus on her bosom. Magash, on the other hand, didn't appear to notice the men's preoccupation with her cleavage. In fact she didn't seem to give them much notice at all. She all but ignored them while she watched Norro play.

The interaction between the three was almost comical. As the two men continued to boast about their mental and physical strengths Magash was trying to suppress a yawn. I can't blame her for being bored; these men loved talking about themselves. I would interrupt and save her from the mind-numbing conversation, but that would defeat the purpose of the therapy. Magash should interact with organic males. Unfortunately Norro did not appear to hold the same belief. He splashed up to Magash and said, "Hey Mom, where's dad?" Before she could answer he turned to me standing on the beach and waved. "Oh there's Dad. Hey dad!" He waved enthusiastically before addressing the two men. "Dad's a veteran of the Clone Wars. He wasn't a clone, but he was on the frontlines. He's a great fighter."

I groaned to myself. Norro either didn't like these two men, he didn't want Magash finding any mate to marry or he noticed her aloofness and decided to give her an out. The two men turned and looked to where Norro was waving and spotted me. Not knowing what to do, I simply waved to the group…and that was the end of Magash's first attempt at interacting with potential mates. They immediately said their farewells and waded off in a different direction. Once they were gone Norro went back to playing with his friends. Since possible suitors no longer occupied her attention, I decided to join Magash. I stripped down to my shorts and waded out to my friend who smiled brightly at my approach.

"The therapy is working."

I paused mid-step. "Oh…you are interested in one of those men?"

And incredulous expression tugged at her lips. "No, but I was able to suppress the urge to drown them."

I chuckled at that comment as I strode up to my ' _wife_ '. "That's a start." I turned to watch Norro splash with his friends. "He's having fun." I startled when Magash sidled up next to me and snaked am arm around my waist, mimicking the actions of other women and their mates nearby. I looked to her and smiled warmly. "You are not going to attract a mate if you are publicly affectionate with me."

She made a soft snort. "I don't want to rush into anything. I am just starting to feel comfortable interacting with you in a more… intimate manner. I think I need more practice before initiating contact with any possible suitor." She gave my waist a squeeze as she laid her head on my shoulder. "He looks so happy."

I watched Norro laugh with his three male classmates as they roughhoused and splashed each other enthusiastically. "His life has changed dramatically and for the better. He appreciates life fully."

"He does," Magash said with a nod before falling into a contemplative silence. After a few moments she turned to me. "The women in my culture are doing themselves a great disservice. Men can be more than workers and breeding stock. We have effectively cut ourselves off from establishing any meaningful relationships with half of our population and we turned our own sons into slaves."

I nodded somberly. "That's true and maybe things will change, but we're supposed to be having fun now and not contemplating such serious matters." She gave a gasp of surprise as I scooped her up in my arms and held her over the water. "I think I will toss you into the lake. Isn't that what happened in that Holofilm we watched, _Gorgeous Vixen_? The Jedi playfully tossed the female heroine into a lake to get her into the mood for more amorous activities."

"You really weren't paying attention to that holo, were you?" Magash laughed. "I believe he tossed her into a wastewater treatment pond before jumping in himself. They needed to disguise their scent from the tracking neks." She smirked with a chuckle. "But yes, they did find time to fornicate after climbing out of the sewage. I don't think you will get the same result in a pristine lake."

A mock frown crossed my lips. "Unfortunate." I was about to set her down on her feet but she reached down with an arm and splashed water in my face. I recognized this behavior as the initiation of a 'splash fight'. Having never participated is such an activity I am unaware of the rules, therefore I decided the most discernible way to win this encounter was to unceremoniously dump Magash into the lake. As soon as she hit the water I reconsidered my decision as I remembered she knew how to fight while submerged. To my great relief Magash resurfaced sputtering and laughing.

"I will get my revenge," she laughed. "When you least suspect it."

I gave her a good-humored grin. "I find your threat oddly stimulating. Perhaps the holovid was correct about danger arousing intense sensual feelings within humans."

She rolled her eyes as she pulled her hair back away from her face. "This is such an odd conversation. Is this the way people talk while courting?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. If you find it objectionable I will stop."

"Not objectionable." She shook her head. "Just different. I am surprised that I enjoy such playful banter."

At that moment Norro ran up to us while pointing to the shore. "The burgers are ready. They're calling us to come in to eat." He ran past us and fell into a queue leading to the grill.

I turned and offered Magash my arm. "We should get you a plate of food before the seared animal flesh gets cold."

She linked her arm in mine and smiled. "Let us do so."

.

.

**_Entry 50_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

Magash and I worked out a system to hide the fact that I do not eat. We put two bantha burgers on one plate, which we placed between us on our blanket we sat on. She would take a bite of her burger and then place it on the plate. I would take her partially consumed burger and pretend I took a quick bite out of it. Meanwhile she picked up my untouched burger and started to consume it. We would continue in this manner until she was no longer hungry…then Norro ate any leftovers we had. I sometimes wonder if the intestinal parasite that once afflicted him was back. I suppose it is more likely that the boy has reached puberty and is in the middle of a growth spurt.

After lunch Magash went to talk to a group of ladies leaving me sitting on the shore with Norro. That was good because I wanted to talk to him privately. "Norro, why did you scare off those two men talking to Magash?"

He made his ' _do I really have to talk about this'_  face. "I didn't scare them off. They walked off."

I sighed as I turned to face the boy fully. "You made a concerted effort to inform them Magash was attached and unavailable."

He shrugged but didn't deny it.

"Why did you do that? You know she wishes to find a mate."

Norro averted his eyes and pulled in a deep breath. "I don't want her leaving. If she finds a husband she'll leave."

I nodded. "That is a possibility."

He raised his gaze and glared at me. "Why would you want that? Don't you like her?"

"Of course I like her, very much so, but she wants to find a bonded mate, like how Jax and Sacha are life companions."

He lowered his gaze and stared at the pattern on the blanket we were sitting on. "Why can't you be her companion? She likes you, you like her. Then we can be a family."

"Norro, I am a droid."

"A sentient droid," he pointed out.

I nodded in agreement. "True, but I am still a droid. Magash wants a child. I can't give her that. I can't be her mate. It's an impossibility."

Norro snorted. "I don't believe in the impossible. Are you saying to me that having a relationship with Magash is more unbelievable than me getting rescued from a prison planet by the last known Jedi in the galaxy and his sentient droid friend?"

I smiled slightly realizing what he just described pushed the boundaries of probability and bordered on preposterous. "Although your rescue was somewhat miraculous it does not change the fact that I am physically incapable of fathering a child."

He waved me off looking angry.

"Norro, I will always be there for you."

I expected an argument, but he simply said, "I know."

I scooted over to where he sat and put an arm around him. "Even if Magash marries and moves away she could still work in our trade business. And in that case, you would see her regularly."

"Maybe," he muttered under his breath. I gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze before I stood and helped him to his feet. "Stop worrying about the future. Anything can happen."

"Will  _you_ remember that?" he asked.

I looked at him confused. "What do you mean?"

"Will you remember that  _anything_  can happen and you should stop thinking about things you believe are impossible?"

I smiled at the boy. "I will. I promise."


	19. Chapter 19

**_Entry 51_ **

**_Recovered Memory_ **

We stayed at the party until dusk. I must say I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I intermingled with a number of individuals and I believe I have successfully portrayed myself as an actual human and not a droid. At times I wondered if it was ethical to pretend I am someone I am not. I addressed this issue with Magash who dismissed my worries by saying, "We all pretend we are someone we're not to some degree. Nobody wishes to reveal their true selves and all their foibles."

We crowded into the speeder as the sun went down and began our drive back to the city. Norro was chattering excitedly about how he wants to learn how to swim. Magash promised to teach him at a later date.

We were making our way down a desolate backroad when a small human figure ran out in front of our vehicle waving his or her arms. I slammed on the reverse thrusters and halted the speeder meters from a young boy, probably no older than twelve.

"That's Nik!" Norro said while looking over my shoulder from the backseat. "He goes to my school."

By now the boy was at my driver side window pounding on it frantically. I exited the speeder to see what is upsetting the child.

"I need help!" Nik managed to say while struggling for breath. "My big brother fell out of a tree and is hurt. He's breathing but I can't get him to wake up."

By now Norro and Magash had exited the vehicle and stood next to the distraught child. Magash pulled out her comlink, "I'll call an air ambulance."

The boy nodded his head vigorously. "Yeah, but we need to get him out of the forest. It's getting dark."

I put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I'll go out and stay with him until the ambulance arrives. We shouldn't move him. He might have a spinal injury."

The boy shook his head frantically. "No, he'll be dead by then."

"I'll go and treat his wounds until the professionals arrive," I reassured the boy. "We shouldn't move him though. It might aggravate his injuries."

Young Nik looked at me like I was stupid. "Once it's dark the Vornskrs will find him and eat him. We need to get him out now."

I looked to Magash questioningly not knowing what the boy was talking about. She simply shrugged her shoulders.

"Isn't that a local legend?" Norro asked with a disbelieving tone. Obviously he has heard about these Vornskrs.

The youngster looked at us in confusion but then his brow went up knowingly. "That's right, you just moved to the planet." He pointed to the forest. "Vornskrs are real. They're nighttime hunters. They're like a cross between an akk dog and a nexu." He pointed to the darkening sky. "They're probably on the hunt already. We've got to go get my brother." He started to walk toward the forest but I grabbed him by the tunic collar. "No, you stay with Norro in the speeder. Keep the doors closed and the windows up. Somebody needs to tell the emergency personnel where we went when they arrive. Magash and I will go and get him. What direction and how far into the forest is your bother?"

Nik took a few deep breaths as he thought about his answer. He lifted his arm and pointed in a northerly direction. "I think he is about three smashball fields in that direction. He's at the base of a tree."

"That's about four hundred meters," I told Magash as I opened the vehicle's back cargo area and pulled out a glowrod and held it up. "I have a light."

"What about blasters?" Nik asked.

I shook my head. "We just came from a school picnic. We didn't bring weapons."

"I have a vibroblade." Magash returned to the passenger side and pulled out the small backpack she brought to the beach.

I raised an eyebrow. "I thought you had sunscreen and pest repellant in that."

She pulled out the vibroblade and gave me a shamefaced smile. "Some pests are bigger than others."

I had to chuckle at that remark. I supposed I should have known she would never venture out without some sort of weapon. "Let's go then." I turned to the two boys. "Both of you, inside the speeder and lock up." Magash and I then ran in the direction the boy had indicated.

As soon as we stepped under the tree canopy visibility dropped dramatically. I know I have infrared sight, but I can't remember how to activate that particular feature of my optical sensors. At this moment my eyesight is probably only fractionally better than Magash's.

I turned when I heard a soft gasp coming from my friend. "What's wrong?"

She looked completely bewildered. "The Force. I can't feel the Force."

"Then go back."

She shook her head. "No, lets hurry and get the boy. I don't need the Force to track or fight. Jax, Sacha and I have avoided the use of the Force for months now."

I was about to argue, but I knew she was right. We needed to get this done before night completely fell. "Let's hurry then." We moved quickly over the twig and branch littered forest floor. I was surprised when Magash pointed to the left and said, "Nik came from that direction."

I looked at the ground and didn't see any footprints. "How do you know?"

She crouched and looked at the soil before standing and moving in the direction she indicated at a faster pace. "I am a hunter. I have been tracking animals since I could walk. I see fresh indictors of a bipedal creature moving along this line."

"So it isn't one of those animals Nik described?"

She shook her head. "I don't believe so." She stopped and frowned. "It's getting too dark for me to see, even with the help of a glowrod."

"I supposed we should keep going in this general direction then."

We travelled another fifty meters before we heard movement. It was the snap of twigs as something moved in the distance. "Could it be the older brother?"

Magash cocked her ear toward the sounds and listened for a moment before shaking her head. "Whatever it is, it is on four legs and big," she whispered. I was about to respond but she flung her hand up indicating me to be silent. "A second animal is approaching. We need to find the boy…now."

Frustration welled up within me. Here I was weaponless, nearly blind in the dark and unable to discern whether a blade of grass was twisted from human movement or bent by a strong wind. Another loud crack sounded from behind us and Magash stopped, clutching her weapon tightly. "One has moved in from behind us." She turned a full circle, listening and squinting into the darkness. "This is bad."

If Magash thought a situation was bad, it must truly be dire. I became very nervous for the safety of the boy and my friend. "How bad?"

"If we were in that stupid holovid we probably would be kissing right about now."

I grimaced. "That's bad." I turned to the sound of movement off to my right. I could probably hear the noise more distinctly than Magash, but I didn't have her hunting experience to interpret the sounds. "If I knew about the local carnivorous fauna I would have brought a blaster." A crashing sound in the distance increased my apprehension. "Magash, let's get you back to the speeder. I'll come back and look for the boy."

The light was dim, but it couldn't obscure the indignant expression on her face. "Do you think I can't defend myself?"

"No," I whispered fiercely. "But we are not armed for this encounter. If these animals are on the hunt they may not see my inorganic body as a source of food. They might totally ignore me."

"They might ignore you," she said pointedly, "but they  _might not_. They possibly hunt by movement and not smell. They could damage you permanently. I will not leave you here alone and run away. You did not run from the fight when those men came for me at that hotel. I owe you my life. I will not abandon you now."

I could hear more and more large animals approaching as I fought a growing panic welling up deep inside me. I was not concerned for myself, but for my friend. If Magash got hurt I will never forgive myself. I didn't say anything out loud but my internal monolog went something like this,  _"I need my fully functional droid memory back! I need my memory! I want to be in full control of my droid functions. I need my infrared optics so I can see the predators, find the boy and help defend my friend."_  The frustration became overwhelming. I looked down at my hands and noticed them trembling. The shaking increased and morphed into a feeling of vertigo before my droid brain suddenly and inexplicably powered down.


	20. Chapter 20

**_Entry 52_ **

I am unable to ascertain the length of time I remained nonfunctional. I eventually awoke and I found myself lying on the forest floor with Magash leaning over me, her face etched with worry. "I-Five, wake up."

I gazed up at her as I reoriented myself. It was then I realized that I regained my memories. I remembered everything…my life as a droid, my time with Lorn Pavan, the first time I met Jax. I blushed slightly as I remember the prolonged and sensuous kiss I gave Magash after my second head injury, but most importantly, I now remembered how to access all my droid programs and abilities. "Magash," I whispered. "My infrared is working."

She gave a relieved sigh. "Thank Allya." She stood and helped me to my feet. "Can you fully assess our situation?"

I looked around to the various heat signatures stalking us or crouching in the trees. "The situation is not good."

"How bad?"

I let out a frustrated breath. "If we were in a holovid we would be attempting to deactivate a bomb while copulating on the back of a stampeding rancor."

Her eyes went wide as she gazed at the darkness around us. "Too bad we aren't in a holovid."

I wasn't sure if that meant she wished this wasn't a real situation or that she would have found the danger I described as appealing.

I motioned for her to follow as I continued in the direction Nik had travelled, tracking the faint heat contour of his footprints on the forest floor. I moved swiftly. So far the animals circling us have kept their distance, but I am certain it won't take long before they strike. It is possible they were waiting for reinforcements so they could attack as a pack.

In the distance I saw the red glow of something lying in the grass at the base of a tree. "There's the boy."

Magash and I ran up to the youngling to determine his condition. He was alive and breathing, but remained unconscious. As I knelt by the boy Magash remained alert, her vibroblade at the ready. I reached around to the back of the boy's head and felt a large bump, but I could not determine if he suffered a spinal injury. I had no way of knowing if moving him would exacerbate his injuries or not, but at this time I didn't have much choice. We needed to get away from the vornskrs.

As I was evaluating the boy's injuries I heard Magash's vibroblade activate. I looked over as she grabbed a fallen branch off the forest floor and started to whittle it into a deadly looking spear. She saw me looking at her and explained. "To kill with a vibroblade the animal would have to be on top of me. A spear will put some distance between me and a predator when fighting."

"Good thinking." I gently lifted the boy off the ground and started backtracking to the road. "I think putting as much distance between us an the vornskrs is the optimal plan. Let's hurry before they get brave and attack."

I walked as quickly as possible without jarring the poor boy too much. I could see the infrared heat signatures of three large animals circling around us. So far they remained about twenty meters from us, but their proximity was slowly closing in. I heard movement from the tree canopy and spotted another large creature crouching in some low branches. "Move to the left," I whispered to Magash. "There is something in the branches ahead."

In the distance I could see a light and I realized it was the speeder's internal glow panel. Norro probably turned it on as a beacon for us. He's a smart kid. We were close, no more than one hundred meters from the vehicle. The creatures tracking us, possibly sensing they might lose their prey, attacked. I could hear movement from behind and the snarl of a large beast crashing through the underbrush. "Behind us Magash!" I quickly, but gently, placed the boy on the ground and looked for a weapon. Magash called out and tossed me her vibroblade as she repositioned her spear to intercept the rampaging animal.

I stood next to Magash while using my various droid senses to keep track of the other creatures. The vornskr in front of us leapt out of the brush, his rows of razor sharp teeth bearing down on us. Magash didn't hesitate. She brought her makeshift spear up and impaled the creature through the neck causing the animal to shriek and convulse. As the animal took his dying breath I saw something swing up from the impaled vornskr and speed toward Magash's head. I leapt out and grabbed the rope-like object before it connected with my friend's skull. I looked down and realized I had seized the animal's barbed, whip-like tail.

Magash looked at me surprised. It is obvious she did not see the danger until I intervened. "Thank you." She pulled the spear out of the animal and thrust it firmly into its chest to ensure it was dead.

"It is I that should thank you." I looked around and saw two more animals slowly approaching. "There are two to our rear and one to our left in a tree." The animal in the branches bounded from its perch and ran toward us. "I'll get this one. Guard the boy." I activated the vibroblade and moved toward the rushing animal. When the vornskr jumped I used my enhanced speed and strength to duck under the airborne predator and thrust my vibroblade up, eviscerating the creature from his sternum to pelvis. There was a spray of blood and a primal scream from the beast as it landed behind me, panting and whipping his tail back and forth like an angry nexu. When the tail hit the ground I stepped on the barbed tip and cut the tail off at the base.

I then positioned myself next to Magash. "We probably should move while we have the advantage." As soon as the words left my voice modulator I realized the commotion had attracted additional animals. "There's more of them now."

Magash looked around the darkened forest unable to see what I can see. "How many?"

I looked around and counted. "There are eight more." I picked up the boy. "We should make a run for it. Most are to our rear. There is only two between us and the road."

She nodded in agreement and we ran. Magash was beside me moving at a fast clip. I could run much faster, but there was no way I would leave her behind. I stopped suddenly when I saw more animals coming from the forest across the road, moving past our speeder and running toward us. "We have more trouble. Some are coming toward us from the forested area from the other side of the speeder. I really hope Norro heeded my words and rolled up the windows and kept the doors closed."

I frantically tried to figure a way out of this mess. At this point we were completely surrounded, Magash was Force-blind and armed with a spear while I had a small vibroblade. If these were neks we could climb up a tree and wait for help, but these animals appear quite capable of ascending to high branches. I put the boy back down on the ground and picked up a broken branch and made my own spear. I glanced over to Magash who had a grim look of determination on her face. I wanted to say something to her, tell her I'm sorry for not being able to protect her, but I kept those thoughts to myself. I know she would interpret those words as me not having confidence in her fighting abilities. Still, I was sad that we might die tonight and neither of us reached our goal of finding a bonded mate.

She must have noticed my glum look and frowned. "I have hunted Ssusarian Dragons, killed Kodashi vipers and tamed Rancors. I will not let these small carnivores harm the boy."

I immediately felt embarrassed that I ever doubted our ability to extricate ourselves from this situation. "I have no worries," I said to her evenly. "I may not have a blaster," I gave her a wink that I doubt she could see in the darkness. "But I have a Magash, which is an infinitely more deadly weapon."

She chuckled softly as she watched the approaching shadows. The one closest to us crouched down, raised his back haunches and wiggled his backside slightly until it looked like a sprinter in the start position. With a burst of fury the animal rushed forward growling and howling a bloodthirsty scream. I swung the butt of my spear and connected with the beast's head and then brought the spear forward and stabbed a second vornskr following close behind. Magash had dispatched a third animal by piercing his abdomen. The vornskrs howled and thrashed on the ground as the remainder of the pack ran toward us. My confidence began to falter as I saw a blur of red thermal images converging on us. I realized these might be my last moments with my friend and I did not wish for us to part ways without her knowing how I felt about her. As I swung my spear, connecting with the lead animal I called out to my friend. "Magash, just in case we don't get out of this. I want to tell you something."

I heard the distressed call of a vornskr and Magash's heavy breathing from the exertion of fighting. "What?" she managed to say.

"I just want to say thank you for being my friend. If I could pick any person to be my life companion, it would be you."

I was hoping to hear some heartfelt words on her part, but she no longer had time to talk. Most of the vornskrs now focused on her, walking around me just to attack my friend. This confirmed my earlier belief that the animals might not see me as food. I intercepted two of the animals intent on making a meal out of my friend before returning to her side as she frantically fought off three more of the creatures. I tried to fend the monsters off, but one finally broke through our defenses. I heard Magash cry out in pain before she dropped to the ground. I stood over her keeping the beasts from injuring her further. "Magash, what happened?"

When she spoke I could hear the pain in her voice. "My leg. I don't think it is too bad." She tried to stand, but fell back to the ground. "I can't walk. Take the boy and go."

The tip of my spear pierced the side of a rampaging carnivore spraying more blood over us. "I will never leave you behind." The words came out bravely, but I could see the futility of my actions as five more beasts quickly converged on our position. I reached over and grabbed the boy, dragging him adjacent to Magash. She pulled the unconscious child close to her, protecting him as much as she could with her body.

As the beasts stalked forward I knew there was no way I could fight all of them off. Before they could pounce I dropped down and used my own body to shield Magash and the boy. Perhaps if they didn't find my inorganic outer skin palpable they would lose interest and go away. I would regret losing this human body, but I would live on in another chassis. All that mattered now was Magash and the boy's safety. "You should have taken him and ran," I heard her whisper to me.

"I could never live with myself if I did."

There was a bloodcurdling howl from one of the creatures as he ran and leapt up to make the killing blow. I threw my arms around Magash's head and waited for an impact that never occurred. Instead, the loud report of blaster fire echoed through the forest. The approaching animal screamed and landed dead just centimeters from my head. I glanced over my shoulder and saw two vehicles with flashing lights parked near my speeder as a group of men fanned out through the forest, approaching our position, and shooting the nocturnal predators that were minutes ago intent on killing the three of us. The remaining vornskrs hesitated for a moment before turning and bounding off into the forest. "Over here!" I called out to the men. "Bring a stretcher or a backboard. We have an injured boy." I rolled off Magash's back and gazed at her in relief. "Are you injured badly?"

She looked down at her leg and grimaced. "I can't feel my leg."

I examined her leg and realized one of the barbed tails had penetrated her calf. Before I could further assess the damage three uniformed law enforcement officers and two medics were at our position. One medic, carrying a backboard dropped down next the unconscious boy, the other assisted Magash.

I stood and brushed off the dirt and gore from my tunic and trousers.

"Are you injured, sir?" The question came from one of the police officers that was scanning the forest for vornskrs.

"No."

"I need help with the boy," a medic said as he finished strapping the child to the backboard. One of the police officers grabbed one end of the board and the two trotted off toward the parked air ambulance. I addressed the second medic. "How bad are her injuries?"

The man cut off the barb from the tail and slowly pulled the tail spike from her leg. "The barbs are poisoned with a paralytic. She should regain motion in about an hour. The pain may last up to twenty-four hours, but I can give her something for that when we get back to the ambulance." He put a bacta patch over the wound and then stood. He bended over to pick up Magash, but I shooed him away. "I got her." I scooped Magash up in my arms and held her close to my body. As I gazed down at her scratched face and blood soaked clothing, my HRD programing activated a shuddering breath to accentuate the overwhelming relief I was now experiencing.

The remaining law enforcement officers looked at the dead animals surrounding our position and gave an astonished whistle. "I've never seen anybody survive a vornskr attack like this."

"We were extremely lucky you showed up when you did officer," I complimented the man, trying to pull the focus off of Magash and me. We didn't need the police looking into our background. "Do you need a statement, officer? Or can I bring my family home?"

He stepped over the dead vornskr carcasses as he followed us to our speeder. "I'll just get your name and address and we can do a follow up interview later. You both probably want to clean up and get that leg looked at."

I gave the officer a nod as I quickly carried Magash to the ambulance. The injured boy was inside being treated as Nik sat next to his brother crying. I sat her down on the tailgate of the speeder as a medic looked up the dosing guide for a zabrak and injected a painkiller into her arm. "This should ease the pain. Keep her off her feet for a day. Change the bacta patch regularly and bring her to the town doctor tomorrow for a follow up."

I steadied Magash as she began to sway. I looked to the medic. "Should she be dizzy?"

His brow furrowed as he looked over his dosing directions. "No, a female zabrak shouldn't have any problem with the dosage I gave her."

"She is a zabrak/human hybrid," I pointed out.

The medic's eyes went wide. "Uh oh." He grabbed his datapad and punched in some information. As he read the words scrolling on the screen he gave me a sheepish look. "Sorry. I overdosed her." He waved his hands indicating that I should let him finish. "She'll be fine. She'll feel no pain, but she might be a little loopy." He looked at her and back to me. "You are her significant other, aren't you?"

I wasn't sure why he asked that question. "Yes."

He smiled widely. "Well, then no problem. If you were a passing stranger that helped, then I probably wouldn't let you drive her home."

"And why is that?"

He chuckled slightly. "Because this drug suppresses the parts of the brain that govern behavior…it can decrease inhibition just like alcohol."

_'That's just perfect,'_  I thought sarcastically.

I grabbed my friend up into my arms, causing her head to roll to the side and eliciting a very uncharacteristic giggle.

"I will keep an eye on her. Thank you." I turned to the law enforcement officer that I spoke to earlier. "You said you need our name and address."

"Yeah." The officer typed our contact information into a small datapad before sliding it into the side cargo pocket of his uniform. "You two are heroes. That boy would be dead if it wasn't for you." He went to pat me on the shoulder but then thought better of it upon seeing pieces of internal organs stuck to my clothing.

"I'll contact you tomorrow." He pointed to Magash's leg. "I hope you feel better soon."

"Thank you," she mumbled.

That medicine was really starting to kick in. Magash's behavior became increasingly erratic as I carried her to the speeder. "You were great out there. You fight like a woman," she praised me in a voice slightly louder than was necessary.

I suppressed a laugh. "Coming from a Dathomir Witch, that truly is a compliment."

As we approached the vehicle Norro rolled down his window, his face ashen and looking shaken from the experience. "Are you two okay?"

"Yes, we're fine," I reassured the boy. I went to the passenger side door and gently set Magash down on the ground so she could balance, or at least try to balance, on her uninjured leg. She fell forward, grabbing my shoulders for support and leaning her head on my chest. "I feel great!"

"I can see that." I opened the door and prepared to place her on the seat when she startled me with a kiss. I was so shocked that I barely had time to react before she pulled away.

Her face scrunched up. "You taste like raw meat."

I reached up and wiped the blood off my face with the sleeve of my tunic, which I soon realized was just as filthy. "Let's get you home." I went to guide her into the speeder but she put an arm out and pushed me away slightly. "Wait! Take off your clothes."

My jaw dropped as she leaned against the speeder door and pulled off her tunic revealing her swimsuit underneath. I stopped her before she removed her trousers. "Magash, I don't know what you have in mind, but…" I threw a thumb in the direction of Norro. "Remember, Norro is in the speeder."

"What?" She cocked her head to the side looking confused before she burst out in an inebriated laugh. "We're covered in blood." She removed her trousers while leaning heavily against the speeder door and then pointed to my clothing. "Strip down to your bathing trunks so we don't stain the seats."

"Oh," I said with a chuckle as I removed my outer clothing and then helped her into the seat.

Norro must have heard the entire conversation because he started laughing hysterically. "Dad, what did you think she meant?"

I grimaced knowing Den, Jax and Sacha would know about this particularly embarrassing conversation the second Norro walked into the house.

" _Remember, Norro's in the speeder,"_  Norro mimicked my voice before snorting loudly.

I picked up the bloody clothing, opened the back hatch of the speeder, and threw our stained outfits into the empty cooler. As I walked to the driver's seat Norro continued to laugh at my expense.

"Norro," I said. "Would you like to walk home?"

He shook his head. "Oh, no way. I want to get home as soon as possible and tell everybody what you said."

I gave a forced smile as I climbed into the driver's seat. "I'm sure you do. Magash and I killed a dozen blood thirsty predators and saved a child but you are probably going to gloss over all of that and mention my one perplexed comment that you found amusing."

The boy smiled widely. "I won't gloss over your heroics…I am just going to lead with the funny comment."

Magash tried to suppress a grin as she reached out and patted my thigh. "Ignore him," she slurred. "Let's get home and into a shower."

Norro busted out laughing once again.

"Norro," I said sternly. "She meant one at a time."

"Okay," Magash chuckled. "That's good too."

"This was an amazing day," Norro laughed. "I can't wait to tell everybody about it."

I took in a deep breath and blew it out. Obviously regaining my droid memories did not make me immune to frustration. That thought did get a smile out of me, though. I was back to normal and I didn't feel any different emotionally.

I started the speeder and made our way home.


	21. Chapter 21

**_Entry 53_ **

When we got home Norro tried to jump out of the speeder without helping me. "Norro, bring in the cooler and get the clothing in the wash."

He frowned but did as I asked. I walked over to the passenger side and actually had to wake Magash up. "Hey, sleepy, time to get showered and in bed."

She gave me a drunken smile as I picked her up and carried her inside. Norro came in behind us carrying the cooler, which he immediately dropped and called out for the others. "Jax! Sacha! Den! Come here!"

Sacha came into the entry area from the living room and let out a gasp of shock when she spied our bloody appearance. "Are you hurt? What happened?"

Before I could answer, Jax and Den heard the commotion and came to where I stood. "What the?" was all Den managed to get out.

"Are you okay?" Jax asked.

"Magash is a little hurt. We ran into a problem and had to kill some of the local predatory animals. The ambulance medic gave Magash a painkilling overdosed and that's why she is groggy." I looked down at my friend I held in my arms. "I need to get her cleaned up. Norro will tell you the whole story. I know he is dying to give you all the details."

Norro grinned wildly. "I'd love to."

I could hear Norro chattering excitedly as I carried Magash to the 'fresher. I pushed open the door with my foot and set Magash down on the bathroom floor. "Don't move," I cautioned her as I turned on the shower and adjusted the water temperature. When it was at a comfortable temperature I picked Magash up and maneuvered both of us into the shower stall. Since we both wore swimsuits I assumed she would not consider this overly forward of me.

Her droopy eyes popped open when the water hit her back. She smiled sultrily before she leaned forward and rested her head on my chest. "We're taking a shower together. How romantic."

I was having a difficult time keeping a straight face. I kept an arm around her waist as I reached up and picked vornskr fur out of her hair. "I'm picking animal gore out of your hair…how unromantic." I grabbed a shower sponge hanging from the water valve and began to wipe the blood off of her body.

"I'll clean you up the best I can and then let Sacha take over. She'll get you into night clothing and into bed."

She put her arms around my neck and whispered into my ear. "Thank you for being my friend."

I wondered if this comment was in response to my confession in the forest thanking her for being my friend. "You're welcome." I waited for her to continue talking, but she was barely awake. It was probably best if she didn't remember my heartfelt admission that if I could pick anybody, I would have chosen her to be my life companion. I don't want things to become awkward between us.

.

.

**_Entry 54_ **

After a quick shower I wrapped a towel around her and guided Marash to her room. I called for Sacha who was down the hall. "Can you get her into her sleepwear and into bed without my help?"

"No problem." Sacha smiled at me with a look of pride. "What you two did tonight was really brave. You two make a great team."

"I think so too." I sat Magash down on a chair in her room. Her head hung down limply and I had to keep a hand on her shoulder to prop her upright.

"I got her," Sacha said as she grasped Magash's other shoulder and shooed me out of the room.

I exited and closed the door behind me and walked to the living area where Jax and Den requested further details.

Jax motioned to Magash's room. "How bad is she hurt?"

"The barbed tail of one of the creatures pierced the meaty part of the calf. It didn't hit the bone. I'll bring her to the doctor tomorrow to make sure it is healing alright."

Jax ran his hand through his hair. "That was some adventure you had."

"We are lucky to be alive. Magash is an incredible fighter. She couldn't touch the Force, but she fought like a Jedi."

"If those things live in the forest I'm glad we live far from it," Den said adamantly.

"Definitely," Jax agreed. "I don't want my future son getting anywhere near those things."

"Believe me," I said emphatically. "Nobody should get anywhere near those things…ever."

.

.

**_Entry 55_ **

I have performed a complete self-diagnostic of my brain and discovered carbon scoring on the cognition module, which created a short in my artificial neural web. Den was able to repair the problem and he now believes I will no longer experience shutdowns or false memories.

Since all of my recollections are recovered, I have continued my journaling and tagged all entries that occurred during the time of my brain malfunction as _recovered memories_. I now can record my journal entries automatically and place them in the appropriate file.

Jax was right. Last night truly was an adventure. I will endeavor to moderate the threat level of any future escapades. I have been decapitated twice. I would like to avoid a third time.

 

**.**

**.**

**_Entry 56_ **

I know Norro considers somebody watching you sleep as creepy, but I felt compelled to do so in this situation. After she fell asleep, I pulled up a chair next to Magash's bed and monitored her respiration. In the morning her eyes popped open and blinked a few times before she noticed me sitting next to her. She rose up on an elbow and looked at me questioningly. "Did we go out and get drunk after our vornskr killing spree?"

"Unfortunately, no. The medic overdosed you on painkillers. How is your leg?"

She pulled the blanket off her body and looked down at her sleep shirt. "I don't remember changing. She looked at her hands and arms. "I don't remember showering."

"Since we were already in swimsuits I assisted you in the shower. Sacha helped you dress and get you into bed. I came in after you were asleep to make sure you didn't have respiration difficulties."

"Oh," she whispered before looking at her injured calf muscle. She pried up the bacta patch and inspected the puncture wound. "It doesn't look infected."

"We are supposed to see the doctor today."

She sat up in bed and slowly lowered herself to the floor, checking to see if her injured leg could hold her weight. "It feels good. The tail of the animal must inject a poison that paralyzed the muscle. I couldn't control it after my injury." She walked a few paced back and forth testing her balance and control. "How is the boy?"

"I don't know. The animals didn't injure him. The medics were working on him in the ambulance."

She nodded. "How about Norro and his friend?"

"He listened to me for once and stayed inside the speeder with Nik."

She was unusually quiet as she sat down at the edge of the bed. She sighed and brought a hand up to squeeze the bridge of her nose.

"Are you well?"

"Yes." She paused for a long moment. "I've never got that close to dying before. Working as a trader has weakened my body and reflexes. My clan sisters would be greatly disappointed."

I sat down next to her and put a hand on her knee. It was a gesture I've seen Jax do with Sacha when she was upset. "Magash, you are anything but weak."

She shook her head. "I had to be saved by men."

Now I understood her distress. On Dathomir the women were supreme fighters. To be rescued by a male would be disgraceful. "Magash, we were saved by blasters. If we had blasters we could have easily walked out of that forest." I stood and strode to the door. "After you dress we should visit the doctor."

She gave me a curt nod as I left. I didn't like seeing Magash depressed. I wonder if being rescued by the police was the only thing bothering her.

.

.

**_Entry 57_ **

The police officer I talked to last night made an appointment to come out to our house to get a statement from me and Magash. Sacha, Jax and Den decided to keep their distance from the law enforcement authorities and opted to be away during his visit.

We invited the man in and sat at the kitchen table as we gave him an account of what happened. At first the questions were routine, but then things changed. The middle aged police officer turned off his datapad that he used to take notes and put it away in his pocket. He then sat back in his seat and regarded Magash and I quietly. "I was really impressed by your fighting skills. You say you are traders?"

Magash looked over to me nervously. I gave her a reassuring expression before turning back to the man. "Yes, we have a ship and are hauling cargo for some of the local import/export businesses."

A slow disarming smile crossed his face. "You do much fighting in the cargo hauling business?"

I wasn't sure where he was going with this line of questioning, but I didn't like it. "No, not normally. Sometimes cargo hubs can attract some unsavory characters." My smile dropped from my face when I realized this officer might believe we were smugglers or even worse, pirates. A pirate might have the fighting experience to kill all those vornskrs.

"I can understand that. This galaxy is now swarming with unsavory people." He shifted in his seat so he could face me fully. "I was so impressed with you and your wife's heroics that I did a little background check. I discovered you received replacement Imperial identification on the planet Phindar right before you arrived on Myrkr."

"That's right. We lost our official documents during the war."

The man smirked. "Yeah, the war. The talk around town is your adopted son claims you were a fighter in the clone wars."

I suppressed the urge to groan. Norro needs to learn to keep a low profile. "My son likes to exaggerate. I worked as a medic during the clone wars."

I could tell by the look in the man's eye that he didn't completely believe my story. "The thing is," he said slowly. "I checked and I couldn't find a Fyve Pavan in the military databanks…anywhere."

"I was a civilian medic."

The man chuckled. "Sure you were. You're a civilian medic that's not in any databases and one that can kill our most deadly predators like they are helpless pittins. That is beyond any normal human abilities in my opinion."

I frowned. "What are you suggesting?"

He leaned forward, gazing at me intently. "I know what you are."

Magash shifted in her seat as I saw her hands grip the edge of the table, her body tensing. I wasn't sure what she was planning, but I am fairly certain it involved violence. I reached out and put my hand over hers and gave it a squeeze before turning back to the officer and smiling. "Officer, I'm an honest trader. I know the replacement identification may look suspicious, but I guarantee we are not smugglers, pirates, nor do we participate in any unscrupulous activities."

He laughed. "Pirates! No, I don't think you're a pirate. I wasn't referring to your current occupation, but to you personally, Fyve Pavan—as in the number five. You would think you'd come up with a less obvious alias."

I closed my eyes, realizing he knew I was a droid. "Why are you bringing this up? I haven't done anything wrong."

He leaned forward in his seat. "I'm not here to give you trouble. I just want to warn you to keep a low profile. Don't give any holovid interviews and keep your image out of the media. Advertising your identity might invite problems with some of our less enlightened citizens." He gave Magash a sideways glance before turning his attention back to me. "I can understand you wanting to get away from it all, settle down, marry, adopt and start a family." He looked around as if he expected to be overheard. "I am disgusted that you and your kind have been prohibited from gaining citizenship and are treated so inhumanly. It's wrong. I know you were created for a specific purpose, but that shouldn't mean you are locked into that role your whole life. You deserve the same rights as anybody else."

"Really?" I looked toward Magash who appeared just as confused as I was. "You don't think it strange that I'm married."

He shrugged. "No, not at all. I know some people think Rim World citizens are backwards, but here on Myrkr we are fairly liberal and accepting of all people…at least most of us are. We have a few troublemakers. " He gestured toward me. "Who am I to say you two can't be married to each other if you are in love. Just because this new Empire won't accept you as a citizen and sees you as property, it doesn't mean everybody feels that way."

"Thank you." I was shocked by this turn of events but it was refreshing to find a human who advocated droid rights.

He stood from his seat. "I don't want to take up more of you time." He came around the table and shook Magash's hand. "Thank you for saving Erik's life. He's in stable condition and should be released from the hospital soon. I know everybody in this town sees you and your husband as heroes." He turned to me, grasped my hand and pumped it enthusiastically. "I always wondered what a clone looked like under the helmet. You guys did a great job taking on the Separatists."

My jaw dropped in surprise. He thought I was a clone! It all started to make sense. Clones were given numbers, just like droids; hence he thought my name Fyve was a variation of my clone designation. Clones were treated little more than droids in our society. In fact they were given the horrible moniker of 'wet-droids'...and clones were some of the best fighters in the galaxy.

"Thank you officer…for being so understanding."

"Yeah, well, you guys fought and risked your lives and then were not given citizenship. Screw the Empire. They treated you like slaves. It's disgusting." He let go of my hand and gave me a pat on the shoulder. "If you ever need anything, just let me know. And thank you for your service."

He gave Magash a smile and wave as he walked to the front door. "I'll let myself out. Thanks again."

When he was gone I turned to Magash and grinned. "He thought I was a clone trooper."

Her expression morphed from confusion to understanding before she chuckled and gave me a shocked look of horror. "Oh no, my husband is a deserter."

"I guess it is better than him thinking I was a pirate."

She shrugged. "A pirate sounds exciting." She looked me up and down. "We can purchase you some tight leather pants and Mandalorian armor."

I stepped back, hands out as to ward her off. "No, no more clothing shopping with you."

She grinned widely. "That's your loss. You would have turned heads in that swimsuit I picked out for you."

"That, I don't doubt," I laughed. "But they would be looking for all the wrong reasons."

This day turned out well. Magash's leg is healing properly and we are town heroes. Perhaps we will acquire more cargo runs now.


	22. Chapter 22

**_Entry 58_ **

We have been very busy in the trade business. I believe the hero status Magash and I obtained may have resulted in a number of new shipping contracts. Den and Norro have continued to stay planetside due to school and work obligations, but the remainder of our group has traveled across the galaxy a number of times in the last few months. Our profit margins are increasing and life has become fairly comfortable for our group.

Sacha is very close to her due date and is expected to deliver next month. I am looking forward to seeing my future nephew. I thoroughly enjoy my responsibilities as an adopted father and I am certain I will find the position of uncle just as gratifying.

Magash and I have continued our experiment in courtship behavior and I enjoy our time together immensely. We are often seen together in town and, according to Den, many people have commented that Magash and I make a cute couple.

Our elevated profile within the town has complicated Magash's plans to find a human or zabrak male to bond with and procreate. After all, we are viewed as a happy, loving, devoted and, reportedly, attractive couple. If she started to date somebody on Myrkr it would result in ugly rumors.

Fortunately for Magash, Sacha thought of a solution. She believes Magash could avoid the awkward questions by using a holonet relationship-site to arrange dates with men along our trade routes. We travel to the same planets often so this idea is not without its merits, although I find the idea of advertising for a mate somewhat unconventional. I also have reservations about this plan for personal reasons. If Magash finds a mate, then our pleasurable courtship experiment will come to an end. I suspect this will generate within me a degree of emotional discomfort. I already experience an inexplicable desolate sensation when I am not in her company. The compulsion to remain in close proximity with Magash is confusing and I sometimes worry that I am developing a camaraderie addiction of some sort.

I have mixed emotions about the matter, but I do know I want Magash to have a family, therefore I am determined to help her in any way possible.

In two days we are scheduled to travel to Taris to purchase local delicacies such as wine and foodstuffs. The planet has a robust human population and we regularly voyage to the world. Sacha believes this would be a perfect planet for Magash to find a prospective mate.

Magash was hesitant, but Sacha's excitement swayed her into agreeing to the plan. Prior to the trip, the two women retired to our home's living area where our computer was connected to the holonet.

I was seated at the dining room table and Jax was on the couch reading his datapad. The two women were sitting in front of a large, old wooden desk left in the house by our landlord. Luckily Norro and Den were at work because the things discussed probably were not for Norro's young ears or Den's gossipy mouth.

"Alright, when you set up your profile," Sacha said as she pushed the keyboard in front of Magash. "Don't mention you are a Dathomir witch. Inquisitors know the witches are all Force-users. You don't want to attract unwanted attention."

Magash nodded. "I will keep things vague." She scrutinized the monitor before she began filling out the blanks of the dating site profile page. After about five minutes, Magash turned to Sacha and motioned toward the monitor. "There it is done."

Sacha looked over her bio and guffawed. "Oh, no,no, no. That won't do, unless you trying to attract a Mandalorian Assassin."

Magash looked flustered so I decided to offer my assistance. I rose and walked over to Magash and looked over her shoulder to examine what she wrote.

Magash's first attempt at an online bio went like this:

**_Self-Summary_ ** _: Female'Rimworld Zabrak/human hybrid, looking for Taris male of similar species to become a bonded mate and to father a child._

**_Occupation_ ** _: Trader_

**_Body type:_ ** _Toned and muscular_

**_Relationship_ ** _: Single, never married_

**_I am really good at:_ ** _Tracking, hunting and fighting._

**_How do I spend my free time:_ ** _Tracking, hunting and fighting._

**_The first thing people usually notice about me:_ ** _Are my facial tattoos._

**_The one thing I could never do without:_ ** _A weapon._

**_I am looking for:_ ** _A healthy Human or Zabrak male of good breeding stock to father a child and who is interested in lifelong monogamous relationship._

She looked up at me. "What is wrong with what I wrote?"

I gave a slight shrug of my shoulder. "It is very truthful, but it may intimidate some men." I gestured toward a nearby chair. "May I help?"

She nodded an affirmative, so I pulled up a chair and sat down next to her.

"It's not a bad start, but maybe we can soften your image to attract somebody other than assassins, bounty hunters or pirates." I gave her a wink. "Although I suspect you might have an interest in pirates," I joked before bringing my attention back to the monitor and pointing to her first response.

"I like what you have here, but instead of declaring your desire for a mate to father a child, perhaps you should say,  _'looking for friendship that could lead to a long term relationship.'_ " I reached over to the computer control and scrolled down. "The occupation, body type and relationship are fine, but, although you are an excellent tracker, hunter and fighter, it might not be something that most males are looking for in a woman. You are good at holding a conversation." I smiled warmly. "I know you hold my attention."

She nodded and I made the suggested changes. She glanced over to me. "What about how I spend my free time?"

I thought about that for a moment. "You do like hunting. Why don't you say,  _'I enjoy communing with nature_.'" I scrolled down further. "The facial tattoos are appropriate, but perhaps you can think of something more benign that you cannot live with out…such as…friends. That says you are a friendly person. And you should simply say you are looking for a human or Zabrak under the age of thirty for possible relationship."

Sacha leaned forward in her seat so she could view me on the other side of Magash. "I-Five, how about you? Are you going to make up a profile for yourself? After all, you are looking for a lifelong companion."

I could hear Jax on the couch trying to disguise a laugh with a cough. "I think that'll be a great idea. Your screen name could be HRD4U." Jax laughed at his own joke before going back to his reading.

I shook my head. "I don't think that would be wise. Too much duplicity would be involved. I cannot come out and say I am a sentient droid and I do not wish to mislead women."

Jax shrugged. "You could admit you are a droid. It's not illegal to be a sentient droid, at least not that I know of. You could say, ' _Tall, handsome, sentient, human replica droid seeks single, toned, muscular female huntress to share a passion of tracking and fighting vicious predatory_   _animals while communing with nature."_

Magash shook her head in irritation while I crossed my arms and glared at my friends who were now laughing boisterously. "That is not humorous."

"Sorry, I-Five. We're just joking." Sacha picked up her holoimager and dragged Magash outside to take a picture for her bio. A few minutes later they uploaded the picture and created the profile. Sacha leaned back in her chair and gave her friend a self-satisfied grin. "Now all we have to do is wait for somebody to show interest."

It wasn't more than two seconds before the computer started making a beeping sound. I leaned in to get a closer look. "What is that noise?"

Sacha examined the HoloNet dating site and smiled. "Those are audible tones indicating men have responded. It is referred to as a  _'wave'_ …meaning they are trying to get her attention. A wave allows you to see their screen name but not their photo. Both parties have to agree to share their photos on this first part of the dating experience."

Jax looked up from his datapad. "Exactly how do you know so much about this site?"

Sacha blushed slightly. "When I was young, before I met any of you, my school roommate and I had profiles." He glanced over to Jax. "Profiles that I have since deleted, so don't think you are going to see what tacky clothing and hairstyles I had seven years ago."

Magash pointed to the screen. "What information can I learn prior to  _'waving'_ back and sharing my photo?"

Sacha pushed some buttons on the computer keyboard. "You can read their self-summary." She looked over the growing list of men. "Let's pick one who doesn't have an overly egotistical screen name."

I pointed to the monitor. "In that case, you probably want to avoid  _'Hotgrindr32'_ , ' _SexySeedFarmer'_ , and perhaps _'CreepyStalker28'_ ".

Sacha gestured to the screen. "How about 'FunGuy9'." She clicked on his screen name and up popped his Self-Summary:  _Fun but lonely, light skinned human male looking for human or near human female between 20-30 to share candlelight dinners and romance._

Magash read it and shook her head. "I do not wish to date a man who cannot afford electricity."

Sacha gave an amused snort. "Candlelight is supposed to be romantic." It looked like she was going to say more, but decided to go to the next candidate. "How about  _FitFella_? It says he loves long walks."

Magash's brow furrowed. "He doesn't own a speeder?"

Sacha chuckled. "Okay…next."

Magash waved her off. "I will look through them myself. You find this situation far too amusing."

Sacha threw her hands up as she stood. "Fine. I'll let you at it." She tapped my shoulder indicating that I should give my friend some privacy. Sacha sat down on the couch next to Jax while I returned to the dining area seats. Magash went through multiple profiles until she found one to her liking. "Here is a self proclaimed soft-spoken, kind, and modest Zabrak/human male, age thirty, in good health looking for a healthy and committed relationship."

Sacha tore her attention away from Jax long enough to encourage Magash to swapped photos. As soon as Magash clicked the  _'Exchange image'_  button she made a sound of disgust before pushing her chair away from the screen.

"What's wrong?" Sacha asked. "Is he ugly."

Magash shook her head and I could see her jaw clench in irritation. "I don't know. This soft-spoken, kind and modest Zabrak/human male sent me a close up image of his reproductive organs."

Sacha jumped off the couch and went to the computer. Her face scrunched up into one of disgust as she viewed the photo. "Gross."

I remained in the dining area, having no desire to see what was on screen. I am not surprised by Magash's reaction. I may be a droid, but I am certain sending an image of one's genitalia is not the proper way to woo a woman. I might have a chance at finding a life companion if men like these are my competition.

Magash turned off the computer and stood. "I am reconsidering my involvement in this plan."

"I know it can be frustrating," Sacha reassured her. "There's a lot of nuts out there."

"And we saw some today," Jax mumbled under his breath.

Sacha shot Jax an annoyed expression before turning her attention back to Magash. "It takes a while to locate a match, but it will be worth it when you find the right man."

Magash heaved a sigh. "I do not believe the right man will be found on the holonet." She walked over to where I sat and slid into a seat across from me. "Do you think I am ready to date?"

I considered my response for a moment before answering in a hushed voice so Jax and Sacha could not hear. "I know I have a wonderful time with you. You are an interesting conversationalist and an enjoyable companion. I believe you are prepared to date."

She did not look convinced, so I reached over the dining table and put my hand over hers. "If you would like to practice courtship behavior further, I am more than willing to offer my assistance."

She smiled at me coyly. "I would love that."

_'I would love that too'_ , I thought to myself.

.

.

**_Entry 59_ **

Magash, Sacha, Jax and I are on our way to Taris for a trade run. Sacha had convinced Magash to give the holonet dating site a second chance and my friend finally found an acceptable male to rendezvous with on the planet. She said his biography was impressive without being overly narcissistic. Plus, he did not include any vulgar photos of himself nor did he request any salacious images from Magash. He was a twenty-eight year old human, blond-haired, two meters in height, never married and enjoyed camping. I told Magash that probably meant he couldn't afford proper living quarters. She rolled her eyes at me before asking. "Is that your way of saying you do not wish for me to meet him?"

I blushed slightly. I am sure somewhere deep down in my programing that is exactly what I meant, but I simply brushed off the comment by claiming it was a joke. "I'm jesting. I am very happy for you."

"Ah," she muttered. I cannot be certain, but she appeared disappointed with my remark. I can only assume she is nervous about her upcoming date with a stranger and wanted an excuse to withdraw from the meeting.

.

.

**_Entry 60_ **

We arrived to Taris and purchased the items on our acquisition list. Since Magash planned on meeting her holonet suitor tonight we decided to wait until morning to depart.

I discovered the man she was to meet is named Sterling Fury. I am certain it is an alias. According to Sacha, it sounds very much like a skinholo stage name…I did not ask her how she knew this. I also did not express these doubts to Magash; she already erroneously believes I do not wish her to date other men.

They were to meet at a dance club tonight. Sacha insisted that we all go to the nightspot just in case Magash selected a murdering psychopath to date. According to Sacha she has read about women who meet their holonet dates, get their drinks spiked with spice, and then end up chained in the man's basement. Or worse, their body is placed in stasis until they can be sold into slavery on Mandalore—that is after a kidney is removed and sold on the black market as an appetizer in Barabel restaurants.

I would say Sacha is paranoid, but my experience on Phindar has made me painfully aware of the extraordinary capacity for evil some sentients possess. I suspect Sacha is exaggerating, though, otherwise why would she encourage Magash to participate in holonet dating?

To my great surprise, Magash did not object to us accompanying her to the nightclub. We entered the establishment and found a table while Magash walked one level down to the bar and waited for her date. Eventually a tall blond man walked up to Magash and introduced himself. They talked for a bit before finding a table.

Magash was facing towards me and I was encouraged by her relaxed and talkative demeanor. The exposure therapy obviously is working.

The two conversed, ordered drinks, danced and then went back to the table to talk some more. I was surprised when Magash abruptly stood and said what looked like stern words to her date. The dance club music was too loud to actually hear what was said, but by watching her lips, I believe Magash called her date a slimy, no good, lying, kriff-face. The man stood and quickly walked away from the table as Magash made an unfamiliar gesture behind his back. I am unsure of its meaning, but I am certain it was not complimentary. She then sat back in her seat looking dejected.

Jax and Sacha also witnessed the exchange. "Fyve, go talk to her."

I turned to them confused. "Why me?"

"Because you and Magash are good at comforting each other," Sacha said softly.

That was true. I rose and walked down to Magash's table, sliding into the booth seat next to her. "Are you okay?"

She looked over to me her face pinched with anger. "His name wasn't really Sterling Fury."

"Ah," I said softly. "Is that why you are irritated?"

She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "No, he's also married."

"Oh. I'm surprised he admitted it."

"Pssfff," she hissed. "He didn't want to admit it. I sensed deception from him when we started talking about his job and background. I asked him straight out if he was married and he said no. I then asked him again with a little more  _force_ behind my words and he broke down and admitted he was married with four kids. His youngest is three-months-old."

My eyes went wide. "Magash, did you do a Jedi mind-trick on him?"

She turned a darker red than her skin normally is. "Just a little. I don't think there are any Inquisitors nearby."

We both sat quietly for a long moment. "This is a hopeless pursuit," Magash finally said. "No man could live up to my standard for a mate."

"What is your standard?"

She looked away and shrugged.

"If you expect men to be like Jax, you will be disappointed," I remarked. "He trained all his life to defend others, to live virtuously and altruistically. There are few males that can measure up to a Jedi."

"I don't want a mate that is like a Jedi." She turned to me and smiled sadly. "I want a male that emulates your values."

I sat back in my seat confused. "Me?" I had to laugh at the absurdity of the comment. "Why me?"

She leaned back and closed her eyes. "You risked your life to save mine, you have been nothing but kind and supportive of my goals, you are respectful, honest, honorable and the best friend I have ever had." She glanced over to me. "You would never cheat and lie to your mate." She looked away and her shoulders slumped, her body language indicating a high level of discouragement.

I reached over and put an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into a soft embrace. "You will find someone. Until then, I will be here for you."

She nodded and eventually a smile graced her lips. "Would you like to dance?"

I grinned. "I would love to." I stood and took her hand leading her out to the dance floor. "I do have to warn you, though, I am already married."

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?"

I grinned. "Yes, and she is truly a witch, so we must be cautious."

She shook her head and laughed. "I will watch out for her."

We danced and talked. I believe by the end of the evening I succeeded in making her forget all about the disreputable Sterling Fury.


	23. Chapter 23

**_Entry 61_ **

The next morning our ship was only minutes out of Taris' atmosphere before Sacha buckled over in pain. She was piloting our ship when it happened. Jax took over the controls and called Magash and I to the flight deck to assist. I jumped into the pilot seat vacated by Sacha while Magash and Jax each put an arm around her waist and helped her to a jumpseat in the cockpit. I turned around in my seat and addressed my friends. "Is she in labor?"

Sacha was leaning back in her seat, hands over her extended belly and grimacing in pain.

"I think she is," Jax said. "We should go back to the planet."

"No," Sacha blurted out. "It's part of the Empire. We can't risk getting put into any hospital computer system.

"We have no choice. Myrkr is also part of the Empire." Jax gestured toward the forward viewport. "We are close to the core. All the planets around here are under Imperial control."

Magash turned to Jax. "We are close to Dathomir. The Singing Mountain Clan midwives can deliver the child. They are not connected into any computer system that can reveal your identity."

Jax looked over to me. "How long before we can get to Dathomir?"

I consulted the navigation system. "Four hours."

Jax returned his gaze to Magash. "Have you ever worked with the midwives? Do we have four hours?"

Magash put a hand over Sacha's extended belly and concentrated. I assume she was using the Force to assess Sacha's condition. "The baby does not appear in distress." She examined Sacha's clothing. "I do not believe her water broke. She is three weeks early. It might be false labor." She blew out a nervous breath. "I believe we have time. I can help deliver the baby if we do not make it to Dathomir in time."

"I can also assist," I called back to Jax. "I downloaded obstetrician medical information into my databanks shortly after I learned of Sacha's pregnancy."

Jax ran a nervous hand down his face. He looked to Sacha. "What do you think?"

She nodded. "Let's go to Dathomir."

.

.

**_Entry 62_ **

We arrived on Dathomir and landed in an open field near the Singing Mountain Clan village. Magash ran ahead to notify her clan sisters of the situation. Sacha's contractions have continued, but they are random and irregular indicating this might not be true labor.

We helped Sacha down the ship's boarding ramp before Jax gently scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the clan's village. There, we where met by Magash and some of her clan sisters who guided us into the clan's large tunnel system that wound its way through the Singing Mountain. Sacha was brought into a room with a small sleeping pallet with a soft down covering. Inside where two middle aged women who were introduced as midwives. Jax tenderly laid her down on the bed and stepped back allowing the women to attend to Sacha. They laid their hands on her extended abdomen while chanting in a language unfamiliar to me. I assume they were utilizing the Force to ascertain her condition. After a minute or two, the clan mother of the Singing Mountain Clan, Augwynne Djo, entered the room. The midwives stepped aside allowing their leader to approach Sacha. The aging woman smiled as she laid her hands gently on Sacha's belly and closed her eyes. Sacha became noticeably anxious when the clan mother's smile faded and her eyes took on glint of sadness.

"What is it, Clan Mother?" Magash asked.

The elderly woman shook her head gloomily. "I am sorry to say, it will be a boy."

Sacha let out a relieved sigh. "But is it a healthy boy?"

The gray-haired woman nodded. "Oh yes, he is very strong. He will be a fine worker." She turned to Jax. "Normally men are forbidden in the birthing rooms, but I am aware in your culture it is the norm. I will allow you to stay with your mate."

"Thank you," Jax said.

Magash turned to me. "Sacha will be put into birthing robes. She will need privacy." She motioned for me to follow her down the rocky tunnels. "It may be hours or days before the child is born. Will you stay on the ship or do you wish for me to acquire you quarters in the men's camp?"

"I will go back to the ship." I was going to say more but a tall Zabrak witch approached and gave Magash a hug.

"Sister, have you returned to stay?"

The question appeared to bother Magash. She glanced over to me as a guilty expression crossed her face. "Fyve, this is my half sister Kryssa. Can you give us a moment?"

"Sure." I took a few steps toward the ship and then waited for my friend.

Magash pulled the woman in the opposite direction to talk. It was far enough away that a normal human would not be able hear their conversation, but my acute droid hearing could discern discussions at a much greater distance. I know it is wrong of me to eavesdrop, but I too wished to know if she intended on staying.

"I am simply here because my friend is in labor," Magash explained. "We needed the assistance of midwives."

"You have been gone for a year. We thought you would return to us." The woman glanced over to my direction. "Will you continue to stay with the outsiders?"

"I have not made any decisions." Magash shook her head. "I am torn as to what to do."

Kryssa put a hand on Magash's shoulder. "Then you must seek out the Clan Mother. She has the power of prophecy. She can guide you." The woman brought her hand down to cover her abdomen. "I took a breeding male last month and I am now with child. You should stay and have a family. Years ago you often talked about raising a daughter."

Magash sighed and glanced in my direction. I averted my eyes feeling guilty about spying. "I will seek out the clan mother's advice."

She broke away from her sister and walked in my direction. "Fyve, I will meet you back at the ship. I need to discuss something with Augwynne Djo."

I forced a smile on my face. "Sure. I will see you soon."

.

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**_Entry 63_ **

It took hours for Magash to return to the ship and when she did it was to tell me Sacha was now definitely in labor.

"We can't enter the delivery area until the baby is born and the midwives are done with their work, but it shouldn't be long." She motioned for me to follow her. "Sacha was told it was time to push."

We quickly walked to the village in silence. I hoped Magash would broach the subject of her visit to her clan mother, but she obviously was not in a talkative mood. In fact her facial expression and body posture indicated she was troubled by something. Perhaps she is anxious about the impending birth or maybe Augwynne Djo predicted something distressing in Magash's future.

I decided to break the silence. "Is there anything wrong?"

She gave me a dismissive wave of her hand. "It is nothing. We can talk about it later."

I wanted to talk about it now, but the time was not right. Sacha and Jax were going to be parents and I didn't need to start a conversation that would mar their happy occasion…especially when I suspect Magash was given bad news by the elderly clan leader.

I followed my friend down the long winding tunnels deep within their holy mountain. When we came to the birthing room she put a hand up signally me to stop. She poked her head into the room before waving for me to enter. Inside I found Sacha laying in bed, covered with clean linens and looking exhausted. Jax was grinning widely as he gazed down to his swaddled son in his arms. I have never seen Jax so happy; his expression was one of pure love.

He motioned for me to come closer. "Come here and meet your nephew, Erec Pavan." I approached the baby and marveled at his tiny statue. I have had contact with children over the years but none this young. The boy had wisps of dark brown hair and dark eyes and was currently crying. Magash came up behind me and peered down at the boy.

"I am so happy for you two," Magash whispered with a noticeable hitch to her voice. Jax smiled and passed the baby over to her to hold. Magash rocked the baby gently in her arms, her dark green eyes brimming with tears. "He's beautiful."

I am not sure what standard of beauty is used when determining the attractiveness of a baby, but it must be different than from toddlers or adults. Jax and Sacha's baby was red, wrinkly and now was crying furiously.

Sacha motioned to Magash. "He's probably hungry." Magash smiled softly as she transferred the baby to his mother. When Sacha started to reposition her sheet I realized she intended to breast feed the child.

I quickly turned to give her privacy. "I will return later when you are not so busy."

I left the birthing room and wandered down the cave tunnels until I exited into the bright sunlight. There I found women milling around the open area outside the caves laughing, talking or tending to the ferocious rancors corralled at the edge of the compound. Some women were instructing young girls in the use a fighting staff, bow or knife. Everybody looked so happy. I can understand Magash's mixed feelings about whether to stay or go. I saw some men on the periphery of the community and walked over to see what they were doing.

The Singing Mountain Clan village was built on a flat expanse near the base of the mountain. At the border of the village there was a gradual dip downhill into a wide valley lined with various crops and groves of fruit trees. Toiling under the hot sun were dozens of men picking vegetables, tanning hides and caring for a small herd of meter-high horned animals with large utters. Young boys worked along side the men, carrying baskets of produce or cutting some variety of wheat crop with oversized sickles.

I turned when I heard footsteps and spied Magash walking towards me. She tried to produce a convincing smile, but I could see the tension tightening the delicate features of her face.

"Sacha is done feeding the baby, if you would like to return."

"Maybe later." I reached out and took her hand in mine. "Can we talk?"

A guarded expression clouded her face but she followed me to the side of the hill where we took a seat on the green grass. I glanced over to her. "You were crying earlier."

She looked away. "I was happy."

"You don't look happy now. Do you miss home?"

She looked at me suspiciously. "You were listening to my conversation with Kryssa, weren't you?"

Now it was my turn to avert my eyes. "Yes." I looked back to her. "Did you talk to your clan mother? Did she foretell your future?"

Her head drooped as she ran her fingers through the grass. "Yes. She saw me with child."

Although I have mixed feelings about the news I couldn't help but grin. "That's great. That _is_  what you wanted, isn't it?"

Magash didn't return my smile. "She said a local breeding male would father my child."

"Oh," I said cautiously. "Does that mean you are staying here?"

"No," she whispered hoarsely, her voice full of despair.

"Magash, why not? You want a family. You could have it here."

She shook her head. "The clan mother said I would have a boy." Her voiced cracked when she said the words. "I cannot stay here and condemn a son to slavery."

'Ohh," I said slowly, completely understanding her reluctance. "What will you do?"

She blew out a breath. "I will return to Myrkr and help Sacha raise her son."

I scooted closer to her so I could speak in low tones. "I thought you wanted a child of your own."

She took a long pause before speaking. "I did, but I cannot see myself finding a mate and settling down like Jax and Sacha. I also can't envision myself living here and taking the chance on having a son."

I was greatly disturbed by my friend's sadness. Her dream was dying and the heartbreak I saw etched on her face produced in me great emotional distress. I feverishly contemplated the situation, trying to envision a viable solution to this problem. After a minute I came to a decision. I nervously reached over and took Magash's hand in mine. "Magash, we make a great team and we are good companions to each other. Return to Myrkr with me and we can raise a family together."

She looked at me skeptically. "You cannot father a child."

"I know, but one of those men can." I pointed down to the slaves planting and harvesting vegetables. "Take a breeding male, conceive a child, and return to Myrkr with me. I will help raise the baby."

She shook her head. "I can't allow you to make such a commitment."

"Why not?"

"You are giving up your chance at happiness to help raise a child that is not yours."

"First of all, I am already raising a boy that is not mine." I smiled at her warmly. "Magash, I'm not giving up my chance at happiness. I'm happiest when I am with you. Bereft of your company I will…I will no longer find joy in my existence. We are friends and I do not wish to lose you from my life."

She shook her head. "You are proposing too great of a sacrifice."

"What sacrifice?" I was somewhat baffled by this conversation. She always hinted that she could sense my feelings through the Force. Didn't she realize I cared for her deeply? I shifted so I was on my knees facing her. "Magash, we are already married according to the Imperial records. I want to continue being a family—you, Norro, a baby and me."

I waited for a response, but none came. Instead she turned her head, avoiding my eyes. After a while the moment became awkward. I slowly rose to my feet and turned away. "I am sorry if I made things uncomfortable between us. That was never my intent."

I heard movement behind me before slim, muscular arms circled my waist and her head rested on my back. When I sensed moisture on my tunic I realized she was crying. I turned and pulled her into my embrace. "Magash. I didn't mean to upset you. I'm sorry."

She snuffled, trying to suppress a sob. "These are not tears of sadness. I am happy." She hugged me tightly as she fought to keep her voice steady. "I would love to remain a family."

I leaned into her embrace and broke into a broad smile. "I would love that too."

.

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**_Entry 64_ **

After almost three weeks, we are on our way back to Myrkr. Sacha, Jax and baby Erec are well. I talked to Den on the subspace transceiver and he is planning a welcome home party for the couple. I then told him my good news, "I am going to be a father. Magash is pregnant."

After answering a barrage of questions concerning how I managed that amazing feat, Den let out a shout of excitement. Norro was also thrilled about being a big brother.

After I ended my transmission I went to galley where Magash sat sipping juice. I slid onto the bench seat next to her and placed a hand on her abdomen. "Can you sense him in the Force."

She smiled. "I sense a life. I cannot tell the sex of the child yet."

"I don't care if it is a boy or girl." I paused. "Do you think I'll be a good father?"

She gave a soft laugh before she leaned in and rested her head on my shoulder. "I am sure you will be the perfect father. You are already the ideal companion."

I felt my autonomic HRD systems kick in as a blush crossed my face. "Thank you. I can't wait to see what the future brings."

She flashed a warm smile. "What ever the future holds. We will face it together."

I grinned. "Yes, together…as a family."

 

~The End~ 


End file.
